Tunnel Vision
by captainkodak1
Summary: Kim and Ron are now lost in time. They have faced the Titanic, the Civil war, seen the Wright Brothers, lived through WWII, and the Old West. They are home now coping with what has happened.
1. Chapter 1

**Tunnel Vision**

By Captainkodak1

"Com'n, Ron! Dad's going to show us the new project that he's been working on."

Kim yanked on her boyfriend's hand as they ran down the hall to one of Dr. Possible's labs.

"Are you sure it's not one of his Black Hole thingees?" Ron whimpered. "I mean, he wasn't real happy after he walked in your room the other day."

Kim growled slightly in remembrance of the event. The two teens had just come off of a one week grounding, the result of her dad having walked into her room at what she came to think of as a furiously bad time. Hands had moved quickly and clothing had been rearranged. It was not what they were doing was bad. There was just a lot more skin showing than James Possible was comfortable with. Kim had never seen her father's face that red.

"So not the Drama, Ron. He grounded us for getting a little carried away. Our time is up. We're free. Besides, he stopped work on the Black Hole experiment to work on this one."

Kim and Ron stopped at the door of the lab. They each pulled a card from their pocket and swiped it through a reader. They then placed their palms on the screen on the wall.

"Possible, Kimberly. Clearance granted. Stoppable, Ronald. Clearance granted."

The door to the lab slid open.

"Kimmie cub! Ronald! Glad you could come! We're not quite ready for you, so you can just look around. I hope school went well today. Now that the grounding is over, what are your plans for the evening?"

Kim crossed her arms and glared at Ron.

"Well, it would have been a better evening if someone had not procrastinated on his history project. Now it looks like Potential Boy here will have to work most of the evening to finish it."

Ron nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "He-he…yeah, uh… Mr. P., is there a computer I can borrow while we wait?"

"Sure, Ronald. There's one on a rolling station over there. Just make sure it's not plugged into the network and you'll be fine."

Ron walked over to the computer. He made sure to disconnect the network cable from the wall jack, pulled his flash drive out of his pocket, removed the cap and plugged it into the USB port. Kim pulled up a seat next to him.

"Have you got the list of times in history that you thought might be interesting?"

Ron started the word processor and downloaded the list file from his flash drive.

"Yeah, KP I just picked a few. I thought we could narrow down the list while we wait. Then, when we get back to your house tonight, I'll write a paragraph or so about each one."

Kim leaned over to read the dates and events on the list.

"Hmmm, Valley Forge, the Titanic, the Declaration of Independence, Pearl Harbor, these in the Civil War, and these."

Kim took the mouse and deleted most of the list, leaving a short list of periods in history.

"We can go back to the house and get to work on these. If you work hard I think there might be a little reward in it for you."

Ron turned to see the warm eyes of his girlfriend looking into his.

Kim whispered softly, "Maybe something that could get us grounded again if we're caught."

Ron swallowed hard and then smiled. "I'm all about getting grounded."

"Kim. Ron. We're ready for you now", called Dr. Possible.

Ron saved his revised list to his flash drive, capped it and put it in his pocket. He reached around the rear of the cart and plugged the network cable back into the wall jack.

The lights flickered in the room. Kim took his hand and they walked over to where Mr. Possible stood. On the computer screen the list of dates remained visible.

Dr. Possible led Kim and Ron into a large room. There a large tunnel had been built. The tunnel entrance was painted with black and white concentric stripes. Kim noticed that the tunnel became smaller and smaller until it closed several feet beyond where the tunnel started.

"Super cool, Mr. Dr. P! Uhhhh… what is it?"

"Ron, that's easy to see!" Kim poked Ron in the arm. "It's ….it's…. uh, Dad...uh…what is it?"

"Well, Kimmie, our experiences with the Black Hole testing showed us some interesting things." Dr. Possible paused and looked straight at Ron. Ron turned slightly pale until Kim took his hand. Kim swallowed slightly.

"And just what did it show you, Dad?" she asked.

"You can think of the shape of a black hole as similar to an old-fashioned ice cream cone. It's large at the top and tapers into a point, called a singularity. At the singularity, the laws of physics cease to exist and all matter is crushed beyond recognition. This kind of non-rotating black hole is called a Schwarzschild black hole, named after the German astronomer Karl Schwarzschild."

Ron started to scratch his head. Kim gave him a slight kick in the shin. Dr. Possible smiled and continued.

"Another type of black hole, called a Kerr hole, is also theoretically possible. Kerr holes are rotating black holes that could be used as portals for time travel or travel to parallel universes. In 1963, New Zealand mathematician Roy Kerr proposed the first realistic theory for a rotating black hole. In his theory, dying stars would collapse into a rotating ring of neutrons that would produce sufficient centrifugal force to prevent the formation of a singularity. Since the black hole would not have a singularity, Kerr believed it would be safe to enter it without being crushed by the infinite gravitational force at its center."

"If Kerr holes do exist, it might be possible to pass through them and exit out of a "white"

hole. A white hole would have the reverse action of a black hole. So, instead of pulling

everything into its gravitational force, it would use some sort of exotic matter with negative energy to push everything out and away from it. These white holes would be our way to enter other times or other worlds."

Kim's mouth opened when she realized what her father was saying.

"You mean?"

"Yes. We started to experiment in time travel", Dr. Possible said.

"THIS IS A TIME MACHINE!" Ron exclaimed. "Badical!"

"Well, Ronald, we aren't sure what it will do. If it works like we think it will, yes, then it could act as a time machine. We'll enter a date into the targeting computer, start the program and send something through." Dr. Possible signaled an associate and she brought him an apple.

"We have done some simple experiments. For example, we have set the time an hour ahead, the target for here and tossed the apple into the tunnel. The apple disappears. An hour later, the apple comes rolling back out."

Dr. Possible set the apple down on a table and continued.

"We haven't attempted anything bigger than that. Sometimes the apple doesn't come back. Other times it will come back as applesauce, cooked applesauce, and even applesauce like Kimmie would make in the kitchen. Would you like to see it work?"

Kim and Ron nodded.

"YEAH!"

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"All systems ready."

"Power steady and all capacitors fully charged."

"Targeting computer down!"

Dr. Possible turned to his assistant.

"Go get the backup computer."

The assistant left the room and returned with a computer on a rolling station. The computer was connected into the network and the countdown restarted.

"Kim, would you and Ron care to do the honors?"

Dr. Possible gave the two teens each an apple.

"Stand at the entrance of the tunnel. When I yell "Now!", toss the apples into the tunnel. Then we will wait for them to come back out in an hour."

Kim and Ron each took the apple they had been given and stood at the tunnel.

The air seemed charged with electricity as the tunnel powered up. The concentric lines seemed to waver and spin. Kim turned to look at her dad.

"That's the Kerr hole effect inside the tunnel. The time warp is starting. Get ready to….."

"KAPOW!"

There was a small explosion on one of the power exchange panels. A power surge flew through all of the equipment. Sparks flew. Smoke spewed forth and filled the room. The tunnel started to glow bright blue. Kim and Ron felt something tugging on them, drawing them toward the tunnel. Kim grabbed Ron's hand.

Dr. Possible's lab assistant checked her monitor.

"Dr. Possible, the power spike hit the tunnel. The targeting computer has locked in on some date that was in the computer. It's …"

There was another power spike. Kim and Ron screamed as they were pulled off their feet. Kim drew her grappling gun and fired, embedding the spikes into the far wall. The two teens held onto each other as they floated in air near the entrance of the tunnel.

Dr. Eng yelled.

"Dr. Possible, the spike has created a gravity well! It is pulling everything into the tunnel!"

"Emergency shut down!" yelled Dr. Possible.

As Dr. Eng moved to the shut down switch there was a final power spike. Bolts of pure blue energy came from the tunnel, enveloping Kim and Ron.

"Kimmie!" Dr. Possible screamed.

The cable of the grapple snapped as the lights went out. Everything was quiet. Then the lights slowly came back on. Mr. Possible started looking for his daughter and her boyfriend.

"Kim? Ron? Are you two okay?"

There was little sound except for the snapping and popping of burnt circuits and the humming of the equipment.

Dr. Eng faced his colleague. "They were sucked into the tunnel!"

"What? Where? When?"

Dr. Eng typed on the computer and the screen on the wall displayed a date and location.

"Oh, no!" Dr. Possible exclaimed.

"Is there any way we can call them back?"

Dr. Eng shook his head.

"No. The computer has set itself to fire every two days. On the second day, it will select a date from the target list and fire. Wherever they are in time or the world, they will be sent to the new time period and place. If we try and reset the computer, we will lose all tracking on them and they will be stuck in whatever time period they are in."

"Is there anything we can do?" Dr. Possible stood in front of the tunnel.

Dr. End shook his head again.

"No. All we can do is let the computer continue to send them from place to place until it has no more places to send them. If the computer had no more targets, it will recall them to the present date."

Mr. Possible whirled and raised his finger.

His colleague shook his head.

"I have already tried to erase the list of target dates and places. The computer has locked the file. Our only hope is the tracking signal. Maybe their friend Wade can piggyback a signal onto the tracking signal and contact them on Kim's Kimmunicator. That way, we might be able to at least help them, but only on a limited basis. The carrier wave cannot handle a lot of traffic. If we use it too much, we risk losing the signal and…"

Dr. Possible finished his colleague's sentence. "…they would be stuck."

Dr. Eng nodded.

"Okay, use all our resources to maintain a strong signal. Then get a list of each of the dates on the target list. I want the best expert for that time in history on-call to help with anything Kim and Ron might need. Right now, I've got a few of calls to make."

Dr. Eng raised his eyebrow. "Ann?"

Dr. Possible rubbed the back of his neck much as Ron did earlier.

"Yeah…right before I call Dr. Director and Wade."

Dr. Possible pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and pressed the speed-dial for his wife.

"Honey, you will never believe what just happened. Are you sitting down? I think you'd better."

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Kim and Ron felt like they had been tossed into a washing machine on spin dry. Then they fell onto something hard.

"Oooff!"

Kim rubbed her shoulder where she had landed. They appeared to be on the deck of a ship. It was night and very cold. Ron tried to sit up and bumped his head on the bottom of a lifeboat that they had landed under.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? I believe a couple of stowaways."

Kim and Ron turned to see a man in an officer's uniform standing over them, staring at them. He reached down, grabbed them by their shirt collars and pulled them out from under the lifeboat.

"I think you two had better come with me."

"Oh, boy…", they said together.

In black lettering on the lifeboat they read: "TITANIC"

Kim groaned. "This is so not good."

* * *

Greetings. Welcome to the newest storyline by Captainkodak1. Kim and Ron are in for the ride of their lives. They are lost in time. They have some adventures ahead of them as they travel from time period to time period.

I grew up watching a show called "Time Tunnel". Two men were sucked into this thing and they were sent from time period to time period. They had to deal with getting through what was happening.

As you probably know the list that Ron put in the computer is the list locked into the targeting computer. So they will have an idea of where they might end up. I have several times in history that they will be traveling to so sit back and enjoy the ride. I am not so sure Kim and Ron will.

I hope you like this little adventure. Leave a review in your time.

Next up will be my chapter of "Darkness Within", then another chapter of My Muppet Show fic.


	2. Chapter 2 The Titanic Sitch part one

**Tunnel Vision **

**The Titanic Sitch – part one**

RMS Titanic  
April 11, 1912  
11:30 pm  
The North Atlantic

The officer released the collars of their shirts and turned them to face him. Kim and Ron noticed a number of stripes on the sleeve of his heavy sea coat. Kim crossed her arms to try and stay warm. It was very cold and the wind coming down the ship's deck made it even colder.

"Second Officer Lightoller here. What are your names?" The officer asked.

"Ron Stoppable"

"Kim Possible"

"Well, well, Ron and Kim. Are you passengers on this ship. What are your staterooms?"

Kim and Ron remained silent and stared at their feet.

The officer sighed. "Just as I thought. I do believe you two are in a spot of trouble."

The officer turned and called out to a seaman walking the deck. "Mr. Davis, a moment of your time." The tall seaman walked over to the officer and saluted.

"By your leave sir."

The officer returned the salute. "Please find Master at Arms Bailey and have him report to the bridge."

"Sir." The seaman saluted again and jogged down the deck and entered the ship.

"Mr. Moore, Mr. Jones, I need your assistance please."

"Sir" the two men called and stood at the officer's side.

Lightoller turned to the two men. "Please assist these two stowaways to the bridge and await Master at Arms Bailey. I am going to report this to the captain." The officer turned and jogged toward the bow.

"Yes, Sir." The two men took Kim and Ron by their arms and pulled them toward the bow of the ship. As they neared the front of the ship, they turned and entered an open door. The sailors pulled the two teens to the rear of the compartment. Kim and Ron looked around. There were a number of men apparently on duty, one at the helm, one each at the telegraphs that gave orders to the engines, and a number of others doing various jobs. The two sailors keep a tight grip on them as they waited. They saw the officer who had found them talking to another tall officer who had his back to them. The officer turned and Kim realized she was looking at the man she had seen in so many pictures about the Titanic. It was Captain Smith of the Titanic; his grey whiskered face regarded the two of them for a moment.

He motioned to the two sailors and they pushed Kim and Ron forward toward the captain and followed behind them. At that moment another man walked onto the bridge and saluted the officers. Captain Smith gazed down at the two teens. They both shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. It was cold on the bridge and the gaze he gave them was even colder.

"Now then." He began. "I can only assume you came aboard in Queenstown. How you avoided being seen I do not know. What do you have to say for yourselves?"

"Please Sir." Kim began, "we just wanted to get to America."

"Runaways, I assume." Captain Smith added. Kim bowed her head and Ron followed suit. "Our parents, didn't want us to see each other so we…

"Well, there is nothing we can do now. Surely we can't turn back. Mr. Bailey detain them until we can find some jobs for them. That way they can at least pay for their passage. By the way how old are you two?"

"17" The two chorused.

Captain Smith nodded. "Old enough to know better but old enough to be on your own I guess. Carry on Mr. Bailey."

The other man pulled two pair of old style handcuffs out and placed them on Kim and Ron. Then he pushed them in front of him out of the bridge door and down the deck. They entered a stairway marked for crew use only. How many decks they went down was hard for Kim to tell. Bailey stopped them at the level marked "E" deck, opened a hatch and pushed them through. He pushed them toward the rear of the ship along a long hallway. They kept walking past several crew staterooms. They could hear and feel the thumping and pounding of engines. Kim and Ron saw the end of the hall coming but before they got there, a hallway appeared on the right. Bailey motioned them to turn. They walked down a short hallway until they came to a door to an interior room. The officer used his keys to open the door and motioned them in.

"In here you two." The man ordered.

They entered through the door and noticed that they were what appeared to be a small office with a number of jail cells in another room. The officer took off the handcuffs and motioned them to sit on a bench near the door to the cells. He tossed the cuffs on a desk and turned to open a cabinet. He pulled out a couple of blankets and two pillows and handed the stack to each of them.

"When did you eat last?" He asked.

Kim and Ron glanced at him.

He smiled at them. "Don't worry lass; I have a daughter about your age. If she ever found herself in a similar situation I hope she would be treated right. So, would the two of you like something to eat?"

"Yes, sir, please and thank you." Kim answered.

"Well, at least you have manners. I check in the third class galley. I think they had some beef stew tonight. Maybe a good hot meal will warm you up. Those clothes can't be real warm."

Kim glanced down; she was wearing her peasant blouse with her blue pants. Ron had on a button down shirt and black pants. Kim thanked herself silently that at least they had been dressed somewhat similar to the date they were in. If she had been wearing her midriff shirts and capris and Ron in his jersey they would have really stood out.

Bailey motioned each of them into the next room and into a cell. Each cell had a single bunk that hung from the wall. There was a small sink and a single toilet along the back wall. Kim flipped the mattress on her bunk down. She put her pillow at the head of the bed near the bars and put down the blankets and sheets. The bunk in her cell was on the same wall as Ron's. She could hear the creaking of Ron's bunk and figured he had done the same as she had. Bailey locked the two cells and placed the keys in a drawer in his desk. He turned and headed out the door. "I'll be back in a moment. You two can talk, just do not make too much noise or make nuisances of yourselves. Just remember, I can find you good jobs or bad jobs." He closed and locked the door to the office as the left.

"KP, what are we going to do? We are on the Titanic." Ron whispered loudly. "We have to tell them what is going to happen."

"Right Ron." Kim said sarcastically as she sat on her bunk and leaned against the bars. "We just go right up to them, hey your so called unsinkable ship is going to hit an iceberg and sink. How do we know? Because we are from the future. Yeah that is really believable. Besides, we can't stop it. That would change history. We have to be careful; anything we do or say could change history as we know it. All we can hope for is that Dad finds a way to pull us back."

Ron slumped down on the bed that hung from the wall next to Kim. "Yeah, you are right, besides they don't really seem to be happy finding us on board. I guess the best we can do is make sure we are in a position to get off this tub when it sinks. That is if MrP can't get us back."

The Kimmunicator beeped once. Kim looked around before she pulled it from her pocket and hit the switch. A small icon appeared on the screen. Kim activated the icon and Wade's voice came from the speaker.

"Kim, Ron, I can't say much but can tell you I can send these little files to help. We know where you are. Your dad tells you not to do anything that could change history. We checked the time computer. We thought it would fire in about two days but a glitch in the system changed the fire time until after the ship sinks. So make sure you get off the boat. We will not be able to send another message for a while so I attached some files to this message with information about the Titanic. There also instructions on how to send messages back to us. Do not let anyone see the Kimmunicator. We are doing everything we can to help. Take care of yourselves."

The voice file ended and the Kimmunicator turned off. Kim sighed heavily as she sat on her bed. She sat quietly for a moment when she felt something touch her arm. She looked down to see Ron's outstretched hand on her arm. He had reached around to reassure her. She placed her hand on top of his and gave it a squeeze. She put up the Kimmunicator and lay on her bed. She reached through the bars of her cell and took Ron's hand. They each lay on their beds holding hands.

The key rattled in the lock of the door and Bailey entered. He was carrying two small lunch pails and a pitcher. He set his burden down and turned to open the cells.

"Now, I'm going to take a chance that food is more important to you right now. You two can sit here at the table and eat. Now the door is locked so you can't go anywhere. But the better you behave the better your life will be."

"Thank you sir." Ron said. He pulled out a chair for Kim then sat down himself. He pulled the two pails to them and opened them. A wonderful aroma arose and filled the room. Ron looked down into the pail. "Ahh, beef stew carrots and potatoes."

"There is milk in the pitcher." Bailey added as he placed two mugs on the table. Now you two eat. There is a basin with running water over there for you to clean up. Then I'll have to lock you up for the evening. Then in the morning, get you a change of clothes and a job."

Bailey watched as they ate silently. He had already arranged for some jobs for the two of them in the third class kitchen for breakfast. They would then have to go up and work in the second class kitchen. They both would be washing dishes and helping clean the pots and pans. Kim and Ron ate silently and then went to the water basin to clean up. Bailey guided them back to their cells and locked them in for the night. He watched as they settled down to go to sleep as he turned off the light and entered his office where his room was. Later as he prepared to turn in himself he checked on his charges. He smiled as he realized that they had passed their hands through the bars of their respective cells and were holding hands as they slept.

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April 12, 1912  
12:30 pm  
Third class galley

Kim pushed a stray lock of hair out of her face and plunged her hands back down in the water to wash the pot she was working on. Her feet hurt from all the standing she had been doing. Ron was at the next sink washing a stack of plates. Master-at-arms Bailey had woken them up early and given them some kitchen uniforms. They had spent the entire morning working in the third class kitchen and dining area. They helped serve the meal and clean up the kitchen and tables. The number of third class passengers overwhelmed Kim and the many different languages as she helped served breakfast family style. Each nationality or ethnic group appeared to congregate together. She had several rather forward comments from a number of the Irish men traveling on the Titanic. Ron had taken some time to talk with some of the Jewish passenger. His Hebrew was a little rusty but he could converse with them on a basic level.

There had been oatmeal, beefsteak and onions, potatoes, bread, butter, marmalade, tea and coffee to serve. Their jobs were to take the bowls of food to each table and keep them filled. She also was somewhat shocked by the manner some of the crew treated the third class passengers. Kim had always heard of the class system that was upheld in that time but seeing it first hand was a shock. She noticed in walking around the ship that the third class passageways were gated off from the rest of the ship. She had read that this was because of the fear of any diseases that the third class passengers might be carrying. As a member of the crew, she and Ron were free to roam. However, their freedom was limited as other members of the crew watched them constantly. She and Ron had kidded to each other about escaping. Like where were they going to go? They were on a ship at sea. There was nowhere to run.

Ron came by and dropped another pot beside her. She scowled at the increasing stack of pots and pans beside her sink. Ron had finished his stack of dishes and grabbed a couple of pots and took them to his sink.

"Thanks Ronnie." She smiled.

"HEY YOU!" Called a harsh voice. Both teens winced and turned to see the head kitchen maid glaring at them. The woman had met them when they came into the kitchen and took an immediate dislike to them.

"The Irish brat has to do her own pots and pans. You, Jew boy, since you have so much energy you can clean the grease traps. Get moving."

Kim retrieved her pots and got back to work. Her fingers had long turned white by the harsh cleansers and hot water of her sink. The pot she was washing was encrusted with dried oatmeal. Another pan had held smoked herring; still another had held the greasy beefsteak and onions. Between the onions, herring and grease she was going to smell wonderful later. She really hated washing dishes. If they EVER got home again she would never ever complain about having to load the dishwasher again. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and got back to work. At least they would be moving up to the kitchen that served the first and second-class dining rooms. She watched in sympathy as Ron headed for the main cooking area to finish his work with the grease traps.

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April 12, 1912  
10:00 pm  
D-deck galley

Kim and Ron waited in the dining area of the second-class dining room. They were so tired they could barely think. They would have traded the toughest mission ever over this. Now their day was over and they were waiting for Mr. Bailey to come back and take them back to the brig. After this day even the hard reality of the cells were welcome as long as there was a bed in them.

The door swung open and Bailey entered carrying two bags. He saw the two teen about to fall asleep where they sat. All the reports he had been given said that the two teens had done all the work requested of them. The head of the D deck galley had even requested that they be assigned back to him. Second Officer Lightoller had also been keeping up with the reports on the two teens and was quite pleased with what he had heard. He gave Mr. Bailey some special orders about the two.

"Let's go you two. You look like you both can use a bath and some rest."

Ron stood and helped Kim to her feet. The two teens followed Bailey out of the dining area and down the crew stairs. Soon they were approaching the brig when Bailey stopped in the hall beside the brig. He opened two doors next to his office door. Kim looked in one of the doors and saw a small room with a single bunk.

"These are the rooms for crewman who are supposed to assist me, but they are empty right now. Both of you really worked hard to today and I received good reports. Mr. Lightoller has been watching out over you and told me to put you in these two rooms. I have to lock you in but at least you are not in the cells. There is a bath in each of the rooms. I ask you not to go any further than the end of the hall."

He gave them each one of the small bags he had been carrying.

"Here are some more uniforms, sleep shirts, towels, washcloths and your other clothes. Now I figure you are ready for a little sleep, but I will not lock you in for a little bit. You can have a little private time to tell each other good night."

Bailey turned and entered his office and closed his door. Kim and Ron looked up and down the hall and realized that they were alone. Kim wrapped her arms around him and nestled her head into his shoulder. She gave a small moan as his arms dropped around her waist. Ron bent his head over and gave her a little kiss on the head. Kim pulled back and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. They broke apart and entered each of their rooms. Kim glanced around the small cabin. There was a bunk on one side with drawer under it. There was a desk and chair on the other side. A small closet was beside the desk. She put her bag on the desk and pulled out a towel, washcloth, shampoo and a bar of soap. She stepped into the bath and started her bath. She washed off the grime of the day, but she missed her strawberry shampoo. After drying off and wrapping her hair in a towel, she put on the nightshirt that was in the bag and crawled into the bunk. She was asleep as soon as her head hit her pillow.

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April 13, 1912  
10:30 am  
D-deck galley

Ron stood at the cutting board he using to cut up the vegetables for the day's meals. Bailey had gotten them up early that morning and gave them some breakfast of oatmeal and milk. Bailey had asked if they had any special skills. Kim had volunteered that Ron was a great cook so he now was at least helping prepare the meal instead of washing dishes. Kim had volunteered for working as a stewardess in First Class. She thought spending the day making beds and cleaning rooms would be better than washing pots and pans again. At least she would be out of the hot galley. Ron pulled another batch of carrots onto his cutting board and made short work of cutting them into slices. He felt a presence at his shoulder and looked back. Hutchinson, the head vegetable cook was standing there.

"You do a good job there young man. I hear from Mr. Bailey that you can cook too."

Ron smiled at the man who was his boss for the day.

"Yes sir, my mother taught me to cook and I really enjoy it."

Mr. Hutchinson glanced up and down at Ron. "Well, my main assistant vegetable cook is sick. If I give you the proper instructions do you think you can handle his job?"

"I can try sir." Ron answered.

"Come with me." Hutchinson motioned. "Here is the menu for what we are preparing for the meals today. The recipe cards are in the box there. I'll be around to check on you."

Ron checked the menu and saw boiled potatoes. He started water into one of the large pots. The kitchen assistants responsible for cutting and cleaning the potatoes dumped their loads into the pot and went to get more. Ron put some salt into the water and pulled a large stirring paddle from the wall and stirred the potatoes. The water started to steam.

"NO, NO lass, you need to do it again."

Kim groaned as she stood up straight and rearranged the bonnet on her head. The long black dress she had on itched in places she could not scratch. She bent down again to take the sheet off the bed again and try to make the bed she was working on to the approval of the woman she was working with. Mrs. Elizabeth Leather was a hard woman to work for but at least she was fair. Kim had never been perfect at housekeeping. She was generally a neat person and made her own bed. She would clean up her own room on occasion and would dust when asked by her mother. However, that was nothing compared to what Mrs. Leather had her doing now. At least she was not elbow deep in dirty dishwater she thought. Kim placed the sheet back on the bed and made the corners and Mrs. Leather had instructed her to. She finished the bed and stood back glancing over to her boss. Mrs. Leather smiled.

"That's it, perfect! Now let us get the comforter back on and finish cleaning the room. Then we can take a little lunch break. I'm sure we can stop by the kitchen so you can see that young man of yours."

Kim's face flamed.

Elizabeth giggled. "Now don't you mind me. Most of the crew knows about the two lovebird stowaways making a break for America. That Mr. Bailey has taken a liking to the two of you. He's been giving the Captain good reports on the two of you."

"I hope so." Kim said. "Ron and I have been working hard. I know they were not happy finding us on board."

"So the two of you are making for America. Were you planning to get married there?"

Kim stopped and looked over at Mrs. Leather, her face feeling like it was burning.

"Oh listen to me talk about things that are none of my business." Elizabeth cooed. "Let's finish here and head for the kitchen. They should be finished serving the passengers and maybe we can get a bite to eat and your young man maybe can get a break."

Kim and Elizabeth walked into the dining area to see the steward cleaning up the final tables. Kim saw Ron sitting at one of the tables eating. She was surprised to see that he was wearing a cook's shirt. She walked over and sat down beside him as Elizabeth walked into the kitchen.

"Well, that cook's shirt looks good on you. What did you do?"

Ron turned to could not help a small giggle to see Kim dressed in a high necked black dress with a white apron. Her hair was up in a bun and covered by a white bonnet.

"Okay, laugh Chef Boy, just remember pay back can be dear." Kim chided as she slipped over to sit next to him.

Ron pushed his plate over to Kim and she took his fork and began to eat. Kim soon finished his plate and another plate that Elizabeth had brought her from the kitchen.

"You two can take a walk on the deck after you finish. Mr. Hutchinson and I decided to let you two off for a little bit. Go get some fresh air."

Ron stood and took Kim's hand pulling her to her feet. They walked out onto the C-deck side by side. The sun was shining and the wind was cool. But being in the fresh air felt good. They just stood at the rail and looked out over the ocean. They both knew what was coming and didn't know what to do. Kim laid her head on his shoulder for moment and tried to relax.

The shrill scream of a child jerked them out of their thoughts. Their eyes opened to see a shadow flash by them from the First Class deck. They looked over the rail to see a small girl in a frilly dress. Apparently she had fallen from the deck above and her dress had caught on a rivet. The cloth was tearing the slowly and the child was inching toward the water. The screams of the parents above could be heard clearly calling for help. Kim and Ron knew that it would only be seconds until the dress tore, dumping the child into the sea. Looking into each other eyes they knew what they had to do. Ron turned to see a coil of rope.

"KP, remember getting in one of Drakken's lairs?"

Kim smiled and raised her arms as Ron tied the rope around her waist as she hiked the dress up to her hips. Ron looked over the rail, gauged the length of rope, and made a turn over the rail. He tied the rope around his waist and settled back preparing to tighten the rope. He then nodded to Kim. Kim climbed onto the rail and made a swinging dive off the rail, her long dress flowing in the wind. Ron leaned back tightening the rope as she swung. The little girl's dress tore just as Kim reached her. Kim caught her in her arms and called out.

"Ron, NOW!" Ron leaped over the rail. His weight pulled Kim and the little girl back to the deck that he and Kim had been standing on moments before. A couple of deckhands arrived in time to reach over the rail and grab Kim and the girl pulling them to safety. Kim gave the girl to one of the deckhands and turned tightening the rope. Ron's eyes glowed a slight blue and he scampered up the rope hand over hand until he had reached the rail. The two crewman grabbed his arms and pulled him back over the rail. Both teens stood gasping for air as they fell into each other's arms. They stood for a moment simply holding on to each other.

One of the deckhands gave the little girl to her frightened parents as they came running up. Mr. Lightoller came running down from the bridge after witnessing what Kim and Ron had done. He pulled the two teens apart looking them over.

"Are you two alright? That has got to be the most amazing thing I have ever seen in my life. I would swear that you do something like this all of the time."

"Sir, I must commend the actions of this two." Mr. Lightoller turned to see the father of the little girl. His name was Mr. Hudson Allison. He was a First Class Passenger. The little girl had settled down to some sniffles as the mother cooed over her.

"Mr. Allison, I am pleased to introduce you to Miss Kim Possible and Mr. Ron Stoppable. They are actually not a part of the crew. They were caught as stowaways and they are working their passage off."

The father turned and took Kim's hand. He bent down to kiss her hand. He turned to Ron and shook his hand.

"Thank you for the life of my child." The man said. Mr. Allison turned back to face Mr. Lightoller.

"Mr. Lightoller, if I may I would like to pay for Miss Possible and Mr. Stoppable's passage. If that is not possible I would like to hire them as personal staff for my family."

Mr. Lightoller smiled. "I think we can make some arrangements in that accord. I think after the Captain gets a full report of the matter that he will approve that you can pay for the passage for these two. I'll make arrangement for them to be moved to a couple of second class cabins."

The father smiled but shook his head. "Please allow me to suggest this. There are two single cabins near our suite. Please place these two in those cabins. If they need anything just place it on my account."

Kim stammered. "Please sir, we cannot accept this. We did what needed to be done, nothing more, nothing less."

The man smiled. "Brave, polite and not conceited about what they have done. That settles it you must be my guests. Please let this be a favor for saving my child. "

Kim smiled as she placed her arm through Ron's. "In that case sir we accept."

* * *

April 13, 1912  
10:30 pm 

Kim and Ron strolled arm in arm down the boat deck. Warm coats keep them warm as they walked in the light coming from the portholes of the superstructure of the ship. The frigid air of the North Atlantic caused their breath to smoke as they breathed. Their benefactor Mr. Allison had arranged for two rooms for them. Mrs. Allison noticed that she and Kim were about the same size and pulled out one of her trunks and let Kim get some clothing. A friend of Mr. Allison had a son Ron's size and gave him some clothes. Kim was wearing a blue long dress with a high waist. Ron had on a brown wool suit that fit him well. Some of the men on First Class would tip their hats to the two teens as they walked the decks. The ladies would gently nod to them.

Kim nestled close to Ron. "This sitch is getting weirder by the day. We started in the bottom of this boat and now here we are on the top."

"What are we going to do KP? I can't keep walking around this boat knowing that most of the people we are seeing are going to die! We have to do something."

Kim turned and faced Ron. His face was pained. He wanted to help. They always helped others. Now they could not.

Kim reached up and touched his face. His hand came up and covered hers. "I know Ron, I feel the same way. But there is no way they are going to believe us. You know what Wade said. We can't change history. The Titanic has to sink, and all those people are going to die."

Ron looked down at Kim. He could tell this was tearing her up also. They had saved that little girl from death. Now she would probably die when the Titanic went down. The two of them stepped out of the wind behind one of the lifeboats. They realized that is was the same spot where they had arrived two days ago. They stood there for a moment lost in each other's arm as they tried to figure out what to do.

A figure stepped from around the lifeboat as a flashlight shined in their eyes.

"Oh pardon me Kim, Ron. I do hope you are enjoying yourselves. I must say your story is quite the talk of the ship."

Kim and Ron recognized the voice of Second Officer Lightoller.

"Thank you, Officer Lightoller for everything you have done for us. We thought we would check out the lifeboats." Kim answered.

Officer Lightoller shined his light over the lifeboat. "Ah don't you worry Miss Possible. Nothing is going to happen. This lifeboat will never be used."

* * *

Okay, that's it for part one of Kim and Ron's Titanic sitch. It's the evening of the 13th. The Titanic hits the iceberg on the 14th. I stopped here because this part is already as long as most of my chapters and most of the action is yet to come. The names used in the story are the actual names of passengers and crew of the Titanic. The descriptions of the decks, menus, passengers, crew and other information on the Titanic were taken from a number of websites about the ship. This has been a rather educational experience for me. Stay tuned for part two. Leave a review and I will see if Captain Smith will have the radio room send you a response. 

This is the Captain.  
Thanks for reading  
Over and out.  
Right hand salute


	3. Chapter 3 The Titanic Sitch part two

Tunnel Vision Chapter Three

The Titanic Sitch – Part Two

* * *

RMS Titanic  
April 14, 1912  
7:30 am 

Ron rolled over in his bunk and glanced at the clock on the wall. It was about time to get up and finish getting dressed. He and Kim were supposed to meet the Allisons for breakfast.

The two of them had spent time with the family early last evening. Mr. Allison's first name was Hudson; he was thirty. His wife, Bessie, was twenty-five, and Helen, the little girl they had saved, was two. The Allisons also had a son, Trevor, who was eleven months old. The Allison's hired servant cared for the two children. She had been watching over Trevor while he was napping when the incident had occurred.

Helen took an immediate liking to Ron, who romped and played with her and made faces that would cause her to cackle delightedly. Kim talked with Bessie as she watched Ron playing with Helen. Mr. Allison chatted with Ron as he joined in playing with his daughter. The two teens had taken their leave when Trevor began to cry. Helen didn't want to go to bed until the two teens had tucked her in.

Kim and Ron had spent the remainder of the evening strolling on the ship's boat deck. Their discussion about what they could do had continued after Office Lightoller had unexpectedly come upon them. Both of them were thankful the darkness had hidden their faces when they reacted to his remark on the lifeboat. Concerned that they may have already changed history in saving Helen, Kim used the Kimmunicator to send a message back to Wade, asking for a list of the Titanic's survivors. They were still waiting for Wade's reply.

Ron rolled out of his bunk, filled his basin with water and washed his face. Hearing a knock, he walked across the room and opened the door. There stood Kim, radiant in a dark blue satin dress, her hair put up in a swirling bun with a number of decorative pins.

"You ready?" she asked as she stepped in the door.

"Just about, KP. Let me get my coat and fix my tie."

"Later", she purred and pulled him in for a kiss.

She jerked back. "Ouuuu! Ron! You haven't shaved!"

"Ah, Kim, I only have a little fuzz and all they have is a straight razor. I don't know how to…."

"SIT!" Kim ordered.

"Uhhh, but KP, you don't know how to use a straight razor", Ron whined.

"SIT!" Kim repeated. "And check my name!"

Ron trembled as he sat in the chair, his eyes watching every move Kim made. Kim went over to the basin and picked up the mug and brush, put a little water in the mug and whipped the soap into lather with the brush. She coated Ron's face with a thick coat of lather, and then turned and picked up the razor off the table to the side of Ron's bed. Draping a towel over her arm, she turned to Ron and smiled. Ron watched as she approached, razor in hand.

He swallowed hard. "KP, you _do_ know how much I love you, _right_?"

"Mmmhhmmmm", Kim said as she turned Ron's head to the side and pulled the razor down the side of his face. Ron sat absolutely still, barely breathing as the razor grated down his face. Slowing her stroke as she reached his jaw line, she snatched the razor from his face with a flick of her wrist. She wiped the razor clean with a towel, turned Ron's face to the other side and repeated the action. Kim gently touched Ron's chin and raised it up 'til he was staring at the ceiling, then placed the razor on Ron's throat and began her downward stroke.

"Ron, you haven't said anything about my dress or my hair", she said as she slowly grated the razor down the side of his throat.

"It's _wonderful_. As beautiful as _you_ are", he answered.

"G-o-o-d a-n-s-w-e-r." She smiled as she wiped the razor clean again. She stepped between his legs to get closer to him.

Ron's hands came up on her slim waist as she stepped in front of him. His hands patted her sides, then stopped.

"Kim, what are you wearing?"

Kim growled. "The undergarments of these days are not quite what I'm used to wearing. They suggested that as a _proper_ young woman I needed to wear a corset."

Ron giggled. "Kim Possible in a _corset_? Monique would crack…and Bonnie… oh, this is _rich_, this is….." His voice abruptly stopped as the razor came back down on his neck.

"Y-e-s?" Kim quietly asked. "Let me tell you how _very_ uncomfortable it is. The _very_ tight strings. The _boning_ in the sides. All to get that _perfect_ hourglass shape. Do you think this is _comfortable_? Remember, when I'm uncomfortable, I get grouchy, and when I get grouchy, I may do things I might regret later." She whipped the razor up his neck and off his chin.

"Message received and understood", Ron whispered.

"Good", Kim answered and slowly finished Ron's shave. She took another towel, wiped off his face and gently gave him a warm "Kim kiss".

"Now, get your coat and tie and let's meet the Allison's to eat."

Kim had Ron's arm as the host escorted them to their table at the Restaurant Parisian. This was an ala carte restaurant on the Titanic. It was small but the only restaurant on any ship of the White Star line that had a view out over the water. The Allisons had suggested eating there as it was less formal and quieter than the main dining room, allowing the four to talk more easily. Ron pulled out Kim's white wicker chair as she took a seat. The waiter was soon serving the four pastries, tea and coffee on china made especially for use in the Restaurant Parisian.

Mrs. Allison stirred her tea after adding milk and sugar. "We hope that you had a restful evening."

Kim sipped her tea after adding some honey. "Yes, we took a walk on the deck and then went to our rooms. It's been a rather unusual few days and we were rather tired. Ron and I would like to thank you again for the rooms."

Mr. Allison raised his hand. "We are honored to grant the favor. We owe you a great deal. Helen was extremely disappointed that you would not be there to play this morning. I told her maybe later tonight. We would like the two of you to dine with us and some friends at dinner tonight."

Kim flushed. "But neither one of us has any formal wear."

Mrs. Allison put her hand on Kim's arm. "I have a gown I think would be perfect on you. Something I am sure will accent those green eyes of yours and I think something special with your hair. I am also sure that we can find something dashing for Ron to wear."

"Eeep! A tux?" Ron whined.

"You'll live", Kim commented, then flushed at the thought of what she had just said. Ron patted her arm to comfort her.

"So, where are you two thinking on going once you reach the States?" asked Mr. Allison.

Ron took Kim's hand. "We were thinking out west, maybe Colorado."

* * *

Kim and Ron walked along the Boat Deck. The view was best from there as it was the highest deck. It was cool as it was open to the sky. They had enjoyed the breakfast with the Allisons, telling them details of their adventures while working in the lower parts of the ship. Mr. Allison suggested Kim and Ron enjoy the ship; they had been working hard for two days and they deserved a little time to themselves. He also reminded them that all of their meals had been taken care of. All they had to do was to go eat. 

Kim and Ron had planned to go swimming, but, as they found out later, there were separate times for the men and women to swim. They did not swim at the same time. Kim decided to pass on swimming when she saw the swimsuit that she would have to wear. The long sleeves, long leggings and skirt on the bathing suit were not her style. Ron suggested they just explore the different decks that they were allowed to see. They started at the stern and toured each deck as they worked their way toward the bow.

The view from the stern was impressive. Staring over the railing at the boiling water coming out from under the ship a full five stories below them, Ron began to turn a distinct shade of green. Kim thought it best that they take a tour of the _interior_ of the ship. They sat for a few minutes in the library, and then passed through the First Class Smoking Room. Most of the men chatted as they played cards or sat smoking. Waiters moved among the chairs, serving drinks.

Continuing forward, they glanced in on the gym, where a number of passengers were using equipment like the rowing machine and the stationary bike. Next came the main First Class stairway. Kim could not imagine something as beautiful as all that wood. They stepped out on the deck on the other side and proceeded forward.

As they approached the area of the bridge, they observed that most of the ship's officers had apparently gathered for a meeting that had just ended. Officer Lightoller came toward them, his face breaking into a smile as he recognized the two of them.

"Well, I must say we are dressed a little more properly than when we first met. I hear you are to dine with the Allisons tonight."

Ron shook the officer's hand. "Yes, sir. They and some of their friends."

Mr. Lightoller smiled. "The Captain wished to dine with you but he had a prior dinner engagement; perhaps tomorrow night."

Kim took Ron's arm. "We're enjoying just exploring the ship. I think it would be neat to go out on the bow. I imagine the view is wonderful."

Lightoller smiled. "Normally, Miss Possible, the bow is restricted to the crew only. Even though you were listed as crew to start with, you are now listed as passengers. Also, only the deck crew is allowed on the bow; just trying to keep everyone safe. The other officers and I have just finished plotting the ship's position. We have received a number of ice warnings from other ships and want to be certain of our position. Excuse me. I need to check with the radio room for any more warnings." He touched the brim of his hat as he turned to enter the Marconi Room.

Kim and Ron turned around and were headed back toward the stern, when they met another young couple coming up the deck toward them. The husband changed their course so as to intercept Kim and Ron.

"Excuse me", he said, his American accent quite evident. "Would you happen to be Miss Possible and Mr. Stoppable?"

Kim took Ron's arm as she answered. "Yes, we are."

"Allow me to introduce myself: I am William Carter of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, and this is my wife, Lucile…"

"Just _who_ do you think you _are_, coming up from Third Class?" Mrs. Carter haughtily questioned them. "All those…those…people! Just _think_ of the diseases you could be spreading!"

Kim's face flushed. "We may have lived and worked in Third Class, but believe me: from what I've seen, some of those folks have more class than you'll _ever_ have. As for diseases, stuck ups as you are a worse disease than anything they might have. Excuse me. Ron and I are going to have lunch, then get ready for dinner with our friends."

Ron presented his arm to Kim. She took it and the two teens walked purposely past the astonished couple. Ron laughed and smiled. "Way to go there, Kimbo. Bonnie gave you enough practice."

"Think I overreacted?" Kim asked.

"Nah, they were asking for it. Besides, the food chain around here could _use_ a little shaking up and nobody can shake it like you can."

As they approached the stairs, Ron turned to Kim. "You know, KP, I'm proud of you for what you did back there."

"Really?"

Ron looked around as they walked toward the stairs and gave Kim a little kiss. The stairs led to the next deck and they followed a number of other guests to the First Class Dining Room. Ron approached the host. "Table for two, please."

"I am sorry, Sir. All the tables for two have been taken. Would you care to share with another couple?" inquired the host.

"We would be pleased for this young couple to join us", a voice said.

Kim and Ron turned to see an elderly couple entering the Dining Room. The gentleman bowed as his regally dressed wife nodded to Kim. "I am Isadore Straus; this lovely creature is my wife, Rosaline." Ron returned the bow as Kim performed a curtsey.

"We would be most honored to join you." Ron said.

The waiter escorted the four to a table. Ron pulled out Kim's chair for her to sit as the waiter seated Mrs. Straus. Ron and Mr. Straus took their seats and the waiter stood ready to take their order.

"Would you care for the luncheon, the grill or the buffet?" he asked.

Mr. Straus thought for a moment. "What is off the grill today?"

The waiter repeated from memory. "Grilled Mutton Chops, mashed, fried and baked jacket potatoes, custard pudding and apple pastry."

Ron and Kim looked as each other and nodded. "That sounds fine to us." Mr. Straus smiled. "Four grills, if you please, and the cheese plate while we wait."

Kim whispered, "Too bad Rufus isn't here. He'd freak over the cheese."

Ron nodded. "Yeah, but I don't think he would fit in very well. We're lucky he was home sick when all this started."

"Is this Rufus a friend of yours?" Mrs. Straus asked.

The two teens nodded as the cheese plate arrived.

Ron answered. "Yes, he's our best friend. But we had to leave him behind at home. We hope to see him again someday."

The waiter placed the plate on the table and filled their water glasses. Ron recognized Stilton, Edam, Roquefort, cheddar, and Camembert. The four snacked on the cheese as they waited for their meal. Kim stayed with the cheddar but Ron dove into all the different cheeses. Soon he and Mr. Straus were discussing the finer points of the varieties of the cheeses they were eating. Kim sighed as she watched her normally inept, clumsy and sometimes socially deficient boyfriend deftly carry on a conversation with one of the world's richest and cultured men of his time. The two women just enjoyed their quiet moment as their men talked. The meal arrived and Kim was astonished with the food. The chops were perfectly done and the vegetables were delicious.

"So, Ron", Kim asked. "Does the meal meet your approval?"

Ron nodded. "The chops are prepared just right. The potatoes could use a little more seasoning. I think the custard was just about right, though."

"Mr. Stoppable, are you a chef?" Mrs. Straus asked.

"No, Mrs. Straus, but I would very much like to be", Ron answered.

RMS Titanic  
6:00 pm  
First Class Stateroom Hallway

Ron approached the door to Kim's room. The tuxedo he had on was a little tight but it felt good. Mr. Allison had one of the stewards help Ron get ready. Mrs. Allison had spent part of the afternoon with Kim. Ron could not imagine how girls could take so much time to get ready. Kim could take a whole day just for a prom; for something like this Ron was not sure if Kim _had_ enough time. Standing at her door, he did a last-minute check of his outfit, wiping his sleeves and then gently combed back his hair. He raised his arm and gently knocked on the wooden door to her room. A few seconds passed without a response, so he decided to knock again. Just then, the doorknob rattled and the door swung open.

Before him stood a vision of beauty and grandeur like he had never seen. Kim was wearing a close-fitting emerald gown. Her hair was curled and pulled back from her face. A hairpiece of small white flowers and white feathers had been placed in her hair. White elbow-length gloves covered her arms. He had to make sure he was breathing before he spoke.

"KP! Like, wow!"

Kim smiled as she stepped out of her room and took Ron's arm. She always enjoyed his reactions whenever she really dressed up. She had to admit Ron looked "spankin"; his black tuxedo seemed to fit him well, being snug in the right places. They walked up the hallway and took the stairs down to the First Class dining room. They arrived in the Reception area to find Mr. Allison waiting for them.

"Kimberly. Ronald. Please follow me."

Kim and Ron followed Mr. Allison through several tables until they arrived at a table where Mrs. Allison and the Straus's were seated. There was also a dark-haired woman seated at the table. Mr. Allison introduced Kim and Ron to her.

"Kimberly. Ronald. May I present Mrs. Margaret Brown. Margaret, may I present Miss Kimberly Possible and Mr. Ronald Stoppable."

Ron bowed as the woman nodded to the two of them.

"Ronald, I believe you know the others. Let's have a seat."

Mrs. Brown surveyed the two teens. Ron held Kim's chair as she sat, and then took his seat after all the others had been seated. She nodded to Kim as she spoke.

"Well, I hear you two are headed for Colorado. Denver is my home. Maybe we can travel together once we arrive in New York."

Kim and Ron heard the pleasant sound of a Colorado accent. They both smiled at the woman sitting next to Ron. "If everything works well, that would be nice."

Mrs. Brown grabbed Ron's arm and shook it. "So you two were the ones doing the trapeze act the other day. I gotta say that I've seen some circus acts put to shame by the way you pulled Helen back on board."

Kim flushed slightly. "Well, it just seemed to be the way to do it. Ron and I have played together since we were little. I guess we just took the chance it would work."

Ron glanced down at the table and turned pale. For a moment, Kim thought he was getting seasick. "Ron, are you okay?"

"Sure, KP, but what do I _do_?" he whispered.

"What do you mean….?" Kim asked until she looked down. Before her were at least four spoons of different sizes, four forks of various lengths, two knives, two small plates and a number of other items she had never seen before. 'All I am used to is a fork, a spoon and a knife', she thought. The others at the table laughed as Mrs. Brown spoke.

"Don't you two worry one bit. You are with friends. We won't care about some faux paus. Start from the outside and work your way in. Just follow me and you'll be fine."

Kim and Ron then noticed the menu on a card at their place. Kim could not believe her eyes. There were _eleven courses_ to the meal.

**First Course - Hors d'Oeuvre:**  
Canapés a l' Admiral  
Oysters a la Russe

**Second Course - Soups:**  
Consommé Olga  
Cream of Barley Soup

**Third Course - Fish:**  
Poached Salmon with Mousseline Sauce

**Fourth Course - Entrees:**  
Filet Mignon Lili  
Sauté of Chicken Lyonnaise  
Vegetable Marrow Farcie

**Fifth Course - Removes:**

Lamb with Mint Sauce  
Calvados-Glazed Roast Duckling  
with Apple Sauce  
Roast Sirloin of Beef forestiére  
Chateau Potatoes  
Minted Green Pea Timbales  
Creamed Carrots  
Boiled Rice  
Parmentier and Boiled New Potatoes

**Sixth Course - Punch or Sorbet:**  
Punch Romaine

**Seventh Course - Roast:**  
Roasted Squab on Wilted Cress

**Eighth Course - Salad:**  
Cold Asparagus Salad with  
Champagne-Saffron Vinaigrette

**Ninth Course - Cold Dish:**  
Pâté de Foie Gras  
Celery

**Tenth Course - Sweets**:  
Waldorf Pudding  
Peaches in Chartreuse Jelly  
Chocolate-Painted Éclairs  
with French Vanilla Cream  
French Vanilla Ice Cream  
Sweet Dessert Wines (Muscatel, Tokay, Sauterne)

**Eleventh Course - Dessert:**  
Assorted Fresh Fruits and cheeses

The two teens decided to enjoy themselves. They knew what was coming and would need all the energy they could get. Sitting back as the first course was served, Kim and Ron smiled at the others at the table and joined in the conversation.

RMS Titanic  
11:30 pm  
Ron's stateroom

Ron paced back and forth in his room. He had gone through his clothing and put on the warmest things he could find that he could also move in freely. He had on a white long sleeved shirt with blue wool pants and a dark blue coat.

Kim was in her room changing as well. She had selected an outfit that would allow her to shed the skirt if needed. Underneath the skirt she was wearing a pair of Ron's pants. If they had to swim, she didn't want to have to do it in a skirt.

There was a quiet knock at his door and Ron turned to see Kim walk into his room. She had on a brown wool top and skirt. Her hair had been pulled into a ponytail. He opened his arms and she returned his hug. They knew what was coming and there was nothing they could do about it. Ron sat in the chair, Kim sat in his lap and together they waited.

The clock ticked second by second. Kim glanced at the clock: it said eleven thirty-nine. A bell sounded clear in the night. Within seconds the noise of the ship's engines changed and began to vibrate. Ron tightened his hold on Kim. Then they heard it: a grinding, groaning noise. Both of them jumped up and ran out of Ron's door, down the hall and out on deck. They looked up in awe as the mass of ice passed down the side of the ship. A deep booming sound from within the ship could only be the watertight doors closing.

As they ran forward toward the bridge they noticed Mr. Andrew leaving. Officer Lightoller noticed Kim and Ron coming up.

"I wish it could be under better circumstances but I have this strange feeling that I am going to need you two and the talent you showed the other day very soon. Please, both of you, wait right _here_."

They stood to the side as Captain Smith walked quickly past them and into the Marconi Room. Seconds later, he returned and headed for the bridge. He paused and stopped to gaze at the two teens.

"I believe that you two have stowed away on the wrong ship. Steady now, both of you."

Captain Smith strode onto the bridge, and began to give orders. A loud rasping sound began. The two teens had to cover their ears as they turned to look up at the source of the noise. Large clouds of steam were escaping from the front of the first three smokestacks. Several people on deck turned to look up and continued walking.

Kim and Ron began to notice that the ship seemed to be leaning forward. Ron put his arm around Kim as they waited alongside the superstructure of the ship just behind the bridge. Officer Lightoller came striding out and motioned them to come to him.

"I need your help. We are going to start loading the lifeboats with women and children. I need you two to assist the crew in getting people into their lifebelts and to the boats. Something tells me that I can trust the two of you. Now get going!"

He turned and motioned a group of crewmen standing nearby to come with him. Within minutes they were fanning out taking the tarps off of the lifeboats and moving them into position to lower them to the water. Kim and Ron turned to enter the gymnasium where a number of people had gathered. Ron grabbed Kim.

"KP. Those people in Third Class. All of the gates. They'll never be able to get up here. I've got to go down and open one of those gates." Kim reached out to grab him.

"Ron, you can't. You could change history. Somebody might survive that was not supposed to."

Ron rubbed his head. "I know, KP, but what if in the real history we were really here. If we _don't_ do something we may change history."

Kim held her head. "Ohhh, brain freeze. Time travel is _so_ not going to be fun."

"Kim. All the Irish down there; all the Jewish people. _Your_ heritage. _My_ heritage. They're down there and they're going to die if we don't do something."

Kim's expression changed to a look of determination and a smile crossed her face. Ron began to smile as he reached for her hand. They ran down the nearest stairway and headed below. Soon they reached the deck above Third Class. They found a gateway that had been locked closed. A number of people were banging on the gate. A crewman stood there kicking the gate, forcing them back.

The crewman felt a small hand on his arm and found himself flying through the air. He landed flat on his back on the metal deck. He arose with a roar to face a small slim girl and a young man approximately the same height beside her. They faced him standing in strange positions.

"Dude, let these folks out! The boat's sinking and the command is to fill the lifeboats."

"What do you care? They're just Third Class people. When all the First Class and Second Class people are on the boats I'll open the gate and not a bloody second earlier", the crewman snarled. "Now, bug off before you get hurt!" He reached to push the girl out of the way. His world turned around again as he felt himself become airborne. This time his landing was a lot harder. Stars swirled in front of his eyes and he had to struggle for his breath. That little girl had thrown him several feet down the hall. He got up and turned to face the two and noticed that the young man had taken a fire axe down from the wall. He laughed.

"Chop all you want, boy, but that axe won't cut through all that metal. I have the key and you'll have to fight me to get it."

The girl took a step toward him but stopped when the young man shook his head. He whispered something to her and she smiled. The crewman's eyes grew wide as Ron's eyes started to glow slightly. He swung the axe and it sheared through the metal lock and latch in a single stroke. The mangled lock and latch fell to the floor and the people on the other side pushed the gate open and rushed through. The crewman took a number of steps back as Ron approached him, the axe in his hands, his eyes still glowing blue. Ron took the ends of the axe in his hands and, before the crewman's astonished eyes, snapped the axe in two.

Ron cast down the remains of the axe on the floor at the crewman's feet, who immediately spun about and ran away down the deck. Kim took Ron's hand, led him to the stairs and they started to climb back to the boat deck. When they arrived at the deck where the musicians where playing, they rushed past them into the main cabin to see the Allisons. Mrs. Allison was distraught.

"Kim, Ron, have you seen Trevor or the nurse? We can't find them."

Mr. Allison gave his daughter to his wife. "Get in the lifeboat now! I'll look for Trevor and the nurse."

Mrs. Allison shook her head as she backed up. "No! I will not leave this boat without all of us!" She turned and ran, carrying her daughter, with her husband trailing behind. Kim started to follow but Ron grabbed her, pointing outside. One of the boats was being lowered. It was on the starboard side: Boat # 7. They noticed that it was only about half full.

"Hey, you need to get in the lifeboat!" Ron pleaded with a number of people standing around.

A tall regal woman looked down her nose at Ron. "Certainly not! It is cold and this boat is _not_ going to sink. I see no need in getting my dress wrinkled or dirty getting in _that_ thing."

Ron stood back as the woman stormed past him and reentered the ship. Kim came up and touched his shoulder. Ron turned to face her.

"Kim, see if you can find Officer Lightoller. I think he's on the other side." Kim ran toward the nearest stairway that took her over the top of the boat and down to the portside boat deck. She saw Lightoller standing by Boat # 6 as it was being loaded. She ran up to him.

"Officer Lightoller, no one will listen to us. What do we do?" Kim asked.

Lightoller looked at Kim and grabbed her arm.

"You are getting in this boat. I'll take care of Ron, but let's get you to safety."

Kim shook her head. "NO! I _will not_ leave Ron! I _can't_!"

Lightoller pointed to the next boat behind her. One of the other officers was seating a blonde-haired person wearing a jacket just like Ron's in the boat.

"It looks like Ron is being put in that boat. Now get in!"

"Kim, you listen to the officer..." A voice called out. They turned to see Margaret Brown sitting in the boat, gesturing for Kim to come. Kim stepped over into the boat and sat next to Mrs. Brown. Their boat began to lower.

Ron stepped down on the deck and turned to find Kim. One of the officers called to him. "Ron, can you give me a hand?" The officer was trying to help a pregnant woman into the boat. She was shivering in the cold air as she had no coat, her blonde hair blowing in the wind. Ron took off his coat and put it around her shoulders, then helped her into the boat. He stepped back into the crowd as the boat was lowered away. After the boat started to be lowered, he walked up the deck and touched Officer Lightoller on the arm.

"Have you seen Kim?"

Officer Lightoller's eyes grew large as he recognized the young man standing next to him. He looked down and Ron followed his gaze. Ron saw Kim sitting in the lifeboat below looking back at the lifeboat behind her.

"KP!"

She jerked her head back up to the sound of Ron's voice and her blood froze. Ron was standing next to Officer Lightoller.

"RON!" she screamed.

Ron stood on the deck as he watched Kim struggle against a couple of the women holding her. Their eyes locked as the boat lowered to the water. They continued to watch each other as the lifeboat disappeared into the night.

An screaming cry came from the darkness. "RON!"

* * *

Well, Kim is in a lifeboat and Ron isn't. "Women and Children First" was the rule. But Officer Lightoller made a promise. Stay tuned for the next chapter. Please send out a review. I'll be happy to respond. 


	4. Chapter 4 The Titanic Sitch Part Three

Tunnel Vision chapter 4

**The Titanic Sitch part 3  
Middleton Space Center  
Day +3 1400 hours of Tunnel incident.**

**Lab 4**

Dr. Possible paced back and forth in his office; a window along one wall looked out over the lab. Down below, technicians sat side-by-side working at their computer workstations. Up on the far wall was a large digital screen. Three lines of data continually updated: the top line was the current date and time; the second line was a running chronometer since the incident occurred; while the third line was the updated time that Kim and Ron were history.

The text message sent by Kim and Ron had been received: they were together and alive. A pair of Titanic experts had come on-site to consult with the lab team. Going over what records were available on the Titanic, they found no mention of stowaways being discovered, but then most of those records would have gone down with the ship. The two experts did suggest some etiquette files for Kim and Ron. The Eduardian era was going to be difficult for the two teens, especially Kim; they would need to know what to do and what _not_ to do. No photographs survived of the actual voyage and what limited personal accounts existed mostly dealt with the sinking and not descriptions of persons met onboard.

To say that Dr. Possible's wife was not pleased when told of the incident was to say that the weather at the North Pole is cold. The Board of Directors' reception of the news was equally frigid. To have an accident of this magnitude in a secret lab was one thing, but having two _minors_ in the lab at the time of the accident was another. The fact that the two minors had disappeared due to the accident gave the legal department enough heartburn to heat Middleton for the next winter. Dr. Possible hoped that they remembered that one of the said minors was his own daughter and the other was a young man whom he considered a third son. No one felt worse than he did.

Wade's face popped up on a screen on his desk. "Dr. Possible, we're ready to send the text files to Kim and Ron."

Mr. Possible turned and nodded to the screen and the camera on top of it. "Is there a way we can send a personal message to the two of them?"

Wade bit his lip before responding. "The files we are sending are pushing the limit of the signal. We could see about deleting some of the other files, but that's a decision you would have to make."

Dr. Possible sighed and stared down at his desk. "No, they may need the information. Do we have any idea where they will end up next?"

Wade shook his head. "The computer is going through the list randomly. We will not know where the next time and place will be until a few minutes before the time transfer."

"How are the Stoppables taking this?" Wade asked.

Mr. Possible touched a new phone on his desk. "They have a direct phone line into the lab so they can call at any time. They…they appeared to understand. Mr. Stoppable even said that at least Ron would learn his history one way or another."

"Right now, the public and the media are the main concern. Kim and Ron have been gone three days. If the tunnel uses the whole list, they could be gone a month. We were lucky this started on a Friday. So far, no one has missed them. This week is Spring Break, so we caught a break there. After that, I don't know. Global Justice is going to brief Mr. Barkin, but the students are going to smell a rat sooner or later."

"HEY!" Rufus squeaked as he popped out of Mr. Possible's lab coat pocket.

Mr. Possible patted Rufus on the head and gave him some cheese crackers. "Sorry, Rufus. Just a figure of speech."

Rufus snatched the crackers and dove back into the coat pocket.

"There is a major Cheerleading competition in about four weeks. I know Kim has planned a series of practices. The two of them just can't fail to show up without _someone_ asking questions; questions we really don't want to answer. The media will get wind of their disappearance and you know what _that_ could mean. This is a top secret project. I hope that Dr. Director can come up with a cover plan. Also, I'm worried about those folks that Kimmie and Ron fight. If they found out what has happened, they could try and attack the Space Center. What better way to get rid of Kim and Ron than to strand them in time."

Wade nodded. "I'm going to send the notes to Kim and Ron right now." The screen went blank.

Dr. Possible picked up a book about the Titanic off his desk. There were drawings and paintings of the ship as it went down used to illustrate accounts of the sinking. He literally had to force himself to read some of those accounts, unable to imagine what was in store for his daughter and Ron. Turning a couple of pages, he saw a picture of the empty lifeboats stacked on the docks in New York. He continued to turn more pages until he came to a picture of the cemetery in England where the unidentified bodies from the sinking were buried. Stretching out his hand, Dr. Possible touched the picture and prayed that that cemetery did not hold the remains of his daughter and her boyfriend or that the deep waters of the North Atlantic did not hold the same.

The previous night, even though he was dogged tired, Dr. Possible tossed and turned, unable to sleep. When he _was_ finally able to drift off, he suffered what was without a doubt the worst nightmare he had ever experienced. He dreamt he was scanning the list of descriptions of the unidentified bodies found after the sinking when he came upon two cards: bodies #146 and #147.

Body #146 had the following description: White female, approximately 18 years of age; Red hair, green eyes; Height 5 feet 5 inches; Weight approx. 100 lbs.; Brown wool blouse and skirt; Found on wreckage in arms of Body #147.

The card for #147 had the following: White male, approximately 18 years of age; Blonde hair, brown eyes; Height 5 feet 7 inches; Weight approx. 145 lbs.

He had awakened with a start, drenched in sweat.

Dr. Possible closed the book and put it back down on his desk. No matter what it took, he _had_ to get Kim and Ron back.

Ron turned away from the darkness as Kim's scream faded.

Officer Lightoller placed his hand on Ron's shoulder. "I am sorry, Ron. I thought you were helping man that other boat." Ron shrugged his shoulders.

"I wouldn't feel right leaving when all the others were staying behind. I guess it works better. At least Kim is off the ship and safe. What can I do?"

Officer Lightoller turned and pulled Ron along with him. "Stay right by me and help me load the lifeboats." They jogged toward the stern of the ship, and to do so, Ron realized, they now had to jog _uphill_. Along the way he observed that the ship's band had set up on deck and continued to play music.

Passengers and crew were finding it extremely difficult to stand up straight on the deck. The bow of the Titanic was nearing the water as Boat #14, with Officer Lowe aboard, was getting ready to be lowered. A crowd of people appeared ready to leap from the ship into the fully-loaded boat when the officer pulled a pistol from his pocket and fired warning shots into the air.

"Clear back! This boat is full!"

Nearly all of the lifeboats on the forward part of the ship were now gone. Of those passengers still aboard ship, most were moving to the rear toward the remaining lifeboats. Panic could be seen in the eyes of many; others stoically watched the disaster unfold before them.

Officer Lightoller turned to Ron. "Stay right with me and we'll get off when we can."

Running past the Straus couple as they sat in a group of chairs, Ron stopped and returned to plead with them.

"Mr. and Mrs. Straus, you need to get in the lifeboats."

Mr. Straus turned and placed his hand on his wife's. "This lovely lady would not leave me even when I ordered her into a lifeboat. What does it say of a man when he can't get his wife to obey him at a time like this?"

Squeezing her husband's hand, Mrs. Straus spoke, "We have had a long, wonderful life together. I was not about to leave his side now. If we are to die, then it will be as we have lived. Together. So what do you say, Ronald?"

Ron put his hand on top of theirs. "I'd say that it is a blessing that she loves you enough not to leave you."

Mr. Straus looked around. "Where is Kimberly?"

Ron bowed his head. "She's already in a lifeboat. I hope to find a space later."

Mrs. Straus sat up and took his hand. "Our hope and blessings go with the two of you. You belong together. Anyone in his or her right mind can see that. Now go. Find a way to join Kim."

The lifeboats leaving now were nearly filled to capacity as they were lowered to the water. Ron glanced forward and noticed that the bow of the Titanic was now nearly awash. The ship was tilting more and more toward the bow with the stern coming out of the water.

Officer Lightoller pulled Ron with him toward the bow of the boat. One of the collapsible boats was being readied for launch. Ron joined with a number of the crew as they locked arms in a semicircle around the boat, forcing the passengers back; only women and children were allowed through. As the ship groaned, Ron could hear items breaking loose inside the ship and crashing forward. The collapsible boat was launched nearly full. The bow of the Titanic was now under water and the forecastle was awash.

Captain Smith came out of the bridge. He nodded to Lightoller and Ron along with the rest of the crew standing at attention. "You have done your duty as seamen and men. You are released from your duties. It is every man for himself. Good luck to you." Captain Smith then turned and reentered the bridge.

Water began to swirl near them, enveloping their feet. Lightoller and Ron were starting to move toward the stern of the Titanic when they heard a snapping noise, looked up and saw the forward funnel plummeting down toward them. The water captured them and swirled them away from the ship, out from underneath where the funnel landed with a sickening thud, crushing several people as it hit the water.

A loud pop could be heard and felt as the Titanic snapped in two and the bow sank beneath them. One of the collapsible boats popped to the surface nearby. Ron, Lightoller and a number of the men swam to the boat and climbed in. The boat floated right side up but was swamped full of water. Pulling one man in, Ron realized it was Mr. Carter. Carter looked Ron straight in the face then wordlessly shook his hand. The look in his face gave his apology.

Officer Lightoller took command of the boat, barking out orders for the men to settle down; otherwise, the lifeboat could capsize. Ron crawled over to a seat next to Lightoller and the two used the few oars to move the boat away from the Titanic.

Removing his coat, Lightoller draped it over Ron's shoulders. Ron somehow managed to wiggle his arms into the sleeves, and then pulled the coat tight around him. "Thanks." Lightoller patted Ron on the shoulder. "No big deal. This is the third time I have been shipwrecked. We'll get the boat moving and then find Miss Possible."

Kim had helped with the rowing and was now taking a short breather. Margaret Brown sat next to Kim, rowing with the other oar. The lifeboat bobbed up and down in the water as they turned to watch the Titanic, its bow now having almost reached the waves. They could tell that the ship was listing toward them as more of the top of the ship was visible. Boats continued to be lowered less than full, pulling away from the ship as soon as they hit the water. There lifeboats all around them in the water but few boats remained on the Titanic.

The next-to-last boat on their side of the ship was being lowered. Gunshots could be heard over the screaming. Kim turned and buried her face in Margaret's shoulder, who wrapped her arms around Kim and gently cradled her. Many of the other women sobbed and called out the names of their husbands and sons. They watched as that lifeboat reached the water and began to pull away from the Titanic.

It now appeared that the ship was listing away from them. Boats continued to pull away. They watched as the bow came close to the water and up to the forward well deck. A couple more lifeboats pulled away as the Titanic settled to the Promenade deck. Kim wondered how difficult it was stand on the decks. The band could still be heard playing on the deck.

A smaller boat flipped into the water as more shots were heard. More screams and shouts could be heard as the ship continued to settle in the water. The bow plunged underwater and a couple of the smaller lifeboats floated free. The lights started to flicker as the band suddenly ceased playing. There was a muted groan from the ship as the forward funnel tore itself free and crashed into the water. A small boat bobbed to the surface nearby.

"Ron…?" Kim moaned as she watched with Margaret. Margaret took Kim's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

Over the water came the sound of things breaking loose on the ship and crashing forward. The lights flickered again and went out. A loud thundering crack sounded as the ship broke in two. The stern section settled back in the water for a moment, but, as Kim watched, the stern rose into the air again and slipped beneath the waves. Kim glanced at her watch. The time was 2:20 am. Screams and moans could be heard coming over the water.

Another boat rowed up. An officer whom Kim recognized as Officer Lowe stood in the bow. "How full are you?" he called.

"Only about half full", replied Jones, the crewman manning the stern.

The boat with Lowe aboard pulled alongside. "I am going to transfer my passengers to your boat, then go back to see if we can save some of those in the water." Jones nodded and helped the other passengers into his boat. Kim stepped over to Officer Lowe's boat.

"Here, here!" he called. "You need to stay aboard!"

Kim turned to the officer. "I'm here to help and I'm going to." She took a seat and placed an oar in the water. Officer Lowe was about to say something when another crewman whispered in his ear. Lowe looked at her and smiled. "Glad to have you aboard! Haul away!" Kim started to row in the direction of the sunken Titanic.

The screams and moans became louder the longer they rowed. Debris was floating all around. A chair bobbed up and down as it floated by. Kim recognized it as one of the wicker chairs from Café Pariseanne. A body floated by face down in the water.

"Okay, stop rowing! Let's slow down a bit!" ordered Officer Lowe.

There was little light but they could hear voices crying for help. As Kim turned around, she noticed a splash in the water nearby. A man came swimming up, barely able to stay above water. Using her oar, Kim reached out to the man, who grabbed the oar and held on as she pulled him to the side of the boat. The other crewman helped pull him into the boat. Other splashes could be heard nearby. Lowe saw one of the collapsible boats barely afloat.

Above all the noise, the sound of a whistle was heard.

"That's an officer's whistle!" cried one of the crew.

"Haul away there!" ordered Officer Lowe. Kim and the crew started to row and soon their boat pulled alongside the swamped collapsible boat. Kim pulled her oar in so the boats could get side by side. She started to help some of the people into the boat when she recognized the face of Mr. Carter. She glared at him, her eyes filled with a fire. He hung his head and motioned toward the rear of the boat. Kim turned to see a blonde-haired young man shivering as he climbed over to get in the boat.

"RON!" Kim screamed and clambered over several of the passengers to get to Ron.

Ron heard Kim call his name and looked up in time to be tackled by a redheaded whirlwind. Two warm lips caught his and his ribs nearly cracked as Kim practically hugged the life out of him. Then his cheek stung from a slap. He pulled back to see the tear strained face of his girlfriend.

"If you _ever_ scare me like that again, I swear I'll break every bone in your body and then I'll _really_ hurt you!" Kim yelled as she dove into his arms again and buried her face in his shoulder. His arms came down around her as he welcomed the warmth of her body. Lightoller looked over at the two of them and smiled.

The remaining men in Lightoller's boat bailed it empty and started to row away. Officer Lowe was getting the people arranged in the boat when shouting could be heard from across the water; it came from a crowd of people swimming toward them.

"We need to get out of here. If too many reach us, they will swamp the boat", he ordered.

"We can't leave them out there!" Kim argued. "We need to try and save some more!"

Lowe stepped forward and pointed out into the water. "Miss, look around you. The boat is filled to almost to capacity. If we take on more, we _and_ they will all die. We have to save those we can. Now get to your oar and haul away."

Kim saw the mass of people swimming toward them. She realized if they reached the boat they would all die. She turned to sit when she heard a woman's cry. "Please don't leave! Help me, please!" Kim turned to see a young woman struggling to swim to them. She was almost to the boat but the oncoming crowd would soon pass her. She'd never reach the boat without help. Kim stood and took off her skirt. Lowe's eyes grew wide as she dropped it to the bottom of the boat. "Miss, what are you doing?"

Kim turned to Ron and pointed to the woman. "Ron, we have to help her!" Ron looked Kim up and down and just nodded. Before Lowe could say another word, Kim dove off the boat with Ron following soon after. They swam to the woman and together they grabbed her, towed her to the side of the boat and helped her in. Lowe turned the boat away from the oncoming crowd and threw a rope to Kim and Ron. "Grab the rope and we'll tow you. Haul away!"

Kim and Ron desperately grasped for the rope as the crew dug the oars into the water. The crowd of people were only a few strokes away. The water was bitterly cold. Kim's and Ron's hands clutched to the rope as the boat pulled them through the water away from the crowd. Their fingers cramped as the cold numbed their arms and legs. Ron yelped as he lost grip on the rope. Reaching out with her right hand Kim lost grip with her left. The two swam to each other as Lowe turned around, a look of horror on his face. "We can't stop!"

Kim and Ron looked back and realized the group of survivors was already upon them. If Lowe stopped now, the boat would be swamped. They frantically waved Lowe on. Lowe saluted as he and the boat disappeared into the darkness.

As a number of swimmers passed by, yelling for the boat to stop, Ron felt something bump him in the back. It was a couch floating in the water. He pushed Kim up onto it and then pulled himself to her side. They clung to it as they too drifted off into the darkness.

Officer Lowe watched the two teens as they disappeared in the wake of his boat. Lowering his salute, he turned to face forward. The young woman lay at the bow of the boat, wrapped in the remains of the skirt Kim had dropped. The crewman remained silent as they rowed. They heard a whistle in the distance. "That's Lightoller's whistle!" shouted one of the crewmen. Lowe put the rudder over toward the sound of the whistle. .

The lifeboats were gathered together, transferring people between boats to even the loads. The young woman Kim and Ron had saved was transferred to the boat they had left to help. Margaret Brown spied Officer Lowe as he assisted the young woman into her boat. Scanning for Kim and Ron, she asked, "Where are Kim and Ron?" Lightoller, who had assumed command of Boat #6, whirled around and scanned the two boats; his eyes stopped and stayed on Officer Lowe. Officer Lowe nodded to the young woman wrapped in Kim's skirt, then turned his head toward the area from which they had just come. "I have something to tell you."

Kim's teeth were chattering uncontrollably as she moved closer to Ron. Their ice-incrusted clothing crackled as they tried to hold on to each other. Ron placed his arm around Kim and pulled her closer. He could barely hold onto her and the couch. He turned to face her as her green eyes shone in the darkness. He was rapidly losing feeling in his arms and legs. They both could barely keep their eyes open. They were not going to make it. Unless the Tunnel fired soon it would just be moving two dead bodies.

"Ron… please…give me… a kiss…" Kim whispered. "Just …in case." Ron bent his head and brushed his lips against hers. Kim pressed her lips to his, feeling what little warmth he had remaining in his body. "I am _so_ cold. I just want to be warm", she whispered. Nestling against him, Kim closed her eyes. Ron laid his head on her cheek. Suddenly, his head started to swirl. He gripped Kim tightly as it felt like they were falling.

If any of the other people in the water had noticed the two teens clutching the couch, they would have been surprised to see the two teens glow and disappear. The couch bobbed up and down and sank from sight.

Ron forced his eyes open to see lights flying by. It was the Tunnel Time effect. The Tunnel computer had fired. Wherever they were headed, he hoped that it was better then where they had just been. Kim murmured and held Ron closer. They would be okay, Ron thought. At least they were out of the water.

The two teens grunted as they landed in a puddle of mud, rolled into some bushes and came to a halt. The heat of the sun bore down upon them as smoke and dust filled their noses and mouths. A roaring thunder came to their ears. The humid air seemed to stick to them. They opened their eyes and ducked as a group of men in grey uniforms leapt over them. An explosion shook the earth and dirt cascaded on top of them. Another group of men in grey stood in a line before them. The group as one raised their rifles and fired a volley. Then, with a screaming "Yeeeehahhhh", they charged into the smoke.

Kim shook the mud and dirt from her hair as she choked on the smoke. "I said I wanted to be warm, but this is _ridiculous_."

Margaret Brown approached Officer Lightoller as he stood at the rail of the Carpathia. She joined him in looking out over the water. The Carpathia was heading toward New York having finished searching for survivors.

"Did they find them?" she asked Lightoller.

He shook his head. "No, I'm afraid they did not. They are not among the survivors and they are not among the bodies that have been recovered so far. So many died, yet…"

"So many lived", Mrs. Brown added.

"Two didn't, and those two deserved to live more than any of us." Lightoller sighed. "There was something about those two. The way they acted together. The way they worked together when they saved that little girl. The way they saved that other young woman only to lose their own lives doing it. They were special. I can only hope that in the future there will be another Kim and Ron. The world needs heroes like that."

Mrs. Brown patted him on the shoulder and returned to the cabin she was sharing with the young lady that Kim and Ron had rescued from the water. She opened the door to their cabin and noticed that she was awake. "Now, there. We are awake are we? That's good to see."

The young woman clutched at the skirt that had kept her warm and alive. She tried to smile at the woman who had taken care of her. "Why are you helping me?" she asked. Mrs. Brown sat in a chair next to her. "Let's just say I am doing a favor for a couple of friends."

"They would not happen to be the two who pulled me from the water, would they?" asked the girl. Mrs. Brown sighed and nodded. "When you feel better, I want to tell you a story about a blonde-haired young man and red-headed young woman. Now, about you. Where were you heading?"

The young woman laid her head back on her pillow. "I'm going to meet my fiancée. He is a business man in Colorado."

Margaret smiled. "I'm from Colorado. Where is he from? What's his name?"

The woman's smile grew wistful. "He has a business in a little town called Middleton. His name is Nathan Rockwaller."

Thus ends the Titanic sitch. I have tried to keep within the history of the incident. I know some of you are saying Kim and Ron changed history by saving the girl and opening the gate. The little girl and her parents perished in the sinking. They never found the son and his nurse in order to leave. The son and nurse had already boarded another lifeboat. The little girl was the only child to die from First Class. When some of the people from Third Class attempted to get to the upper decks they did find most of the ways out gated. However one gate was open and allowed many to survive. I sorta had Kim and Ron have a hand in that. Officer Lowe did take a boat back and retrieve some of the passengers and did find Office Lightoller in the swamped boat. The young woman is a figment of my imagination. I wonder how Kim and Ron would feel if they found out that the young woman they nearly gave their lives to save may be Bonnie's Great Grandmother.

A couple of historical notes. Margaret Brown became known far and wide as "Molly" Brown. After the incident, she worked to thank the Captain and crew of the Carpathia. She was quite a woman ahead of her time. She was active in the Women's Suffrage Movement, working tirelessly for the rights of women in the United States.

Officer Lightoller was the only senior officer to survive the sinking. The sinking of the Titanic was the third time he had gone into the water when his ship sank. His testimony was called on during the inquiry into the sinking. He stayed at sea after the incident and even participating in the evacuation of the British Army from Dunkirk.

The names of the other crewman were actually crew on the Titanic. Those named as surviving did actually survive the sinking. The names of the passengers were actual passengers from the ship. Mr. Carter was one of the few who survived the sinking by getting on the swamped collapsible with Lightoller when the ship sank. His wife survived. Mr. and Mrs. Straus died in the sinking. Mrs. Straus refused to leave her husband. They were last seen sitting in chairs on the deck arm in arm. The numbers on the lifeboats and the fact that most of the boats left the Titanic less than half full is, sadly, historically accurate. It has been estimated that if the lifeboats had been filled to just over capacity many more could have survived. The attitudes of the passengers that Kim and Ron faced were prevalent among many. Only toward the end did they realize the ship was sinking. By then it was too late. The band continued to play until those last moments. Many said they were playing "Nearer my God to Thee" as the final song. This was never fully proven. It has been said that while the band did help to calm the passengers, that they may have had a negative effect in not allowing the passengers to realize how serious the situation really was. While many of the first class passengers acted as Mrs. Carter did, many others acted honorably and heroically.

I enjoyed researching this story. I learned a great deal about the ship and the people who sailed on her. I have watched several movies on the Titanic. I hate to tell you but the movie "Titanic" was not a completely true representation of what happened. Some was true; the Titanic hit an iceberg and sank. Most of the rest was imagination. If you wish to see a movie that really represents what happened that night, look for "A Night to Remember". This is a black and white movie but is one of the best I have ever seen.

Well, Kim and Ron wanted to be warm, but it looks like they have landed in a rather "hot" location. What is happening? Where are they? When are they? Stay tuned and find out.

As always Kim, Ron and all the other characters are the property of the Disney Company. I own this work of fiction.

I hope you enjoyed this part of the story. Let me know what you think, send out a review.

This is the Captain, over and out, right hand salute.


	5. Chapter 5 The Civil War sitch I

**Tunnel Vision - Civil War I**

The two teens ducked as another explosion covered them with mud and dirt. The smoke made it difficult to see any distance. They coughed as the raw sulfurous smoke burned their throats. Kim sat up, and then dove back to the ground as a stray bullet cut a limb off a bush over her head.

"I prefer the cold water to _this_" screamed Ron.

Kim shook his leg and started to crawl toward a line of trees." Ron, let's try to get out of here before one of us…uhhhhh." **_BOOOOOMMMM_**. Kim felt something hit her in the head, and then everything went black.

"KP" yelled Ron, as he crawled over to her. She was limp as he rolled her deeper into the bushes where they were hiding and quickly checked her over. There was a lump growing on her head just above her right eye, he couldn't see any blood. He touched her throat, her pulse was still strong. Ron put his ear over her nose, she was still breathing. Bullets whizzed by over their heads, throwing pieces of leaves and brush all over them. Ron screamed as he covered Kim with his body.

Ron didn't know how long they had been lying there when he looked up again. It was quiet. No more gunfire. He checked Kim out again. She was still unconscious. He checked her over still again. The knot on her head was forming a nice bruise. He gently laid her back, after taking off his coat and putting it under her head. He then realized they were not alone. He slowly turned around and looked behind him. Three men stood there in ragged clothes, their faces blackened with soot. Two of them held their rifles low, the blackened steel bayonets seemingly reaching out for him. The third had his rifle pointed at Ron's head. The hole in the end of the barrel seemed to be the biggest Ron had ever seen.

One of the men spit to the side. "Well Yank, I think its best you let the little lady go. We don't need any of you boys in blue handling our ladies."

"But, I'm not…I mean, she and I…. but … but…" Ron gibbered.

"No buts from you, Yank. But I got one fer _you_" One of the men drawled.

Ron saw the rifle butt coming. All he had time to think was. "This is _so_ going to hurt!"

Ann Possible paced back in forth in her husband's office. She had come to the Center when he had called. Kim and Ron had made their first jump. They were trying to find out where and when the two of them had landed. She was furiously angry at her husband. Kim complained about Ron getting bigheaded… she was lucky she didn't have to put up with her father's bigheadedness. "What was he thinking, having the two kids in the lab like that while running an experiment?" she muttered. She slowly calmed down while looking out the window at the man she loved. He was drawn and haggard. Wade had told her that he hadn't slept more than 5 or 6 hours in the last three days. When he did manage to sleep, he always bolted awake, screaming.

Her heart broke, looking at him now. He was driving himself _so_ hard. If he kept this up, he would drop from exhaustion. He looked up at her after he read a piece of paper. She stepped from his office and into the lab. He showed her the sheet. She read the mass of computer jargon and settled on a few facts; the date, the latitude and longitude, and the fact that two healthy beings were transferred. She went back and looked at the date. June 15th, 1864. Her blood chilled for a moment. They had traveled further back in time. She thought more about the date, and it came to her. The American Civil War was being fought at that time.

"James?" she asked.

His eyes told her the news was not good. "Ann, the place they landed, its right in the middle on one of the biggest battles fought near the end of the war. Dear, they have been caught up in one of the battles of Sherman's March to the Sea."

She turned to Wade. He nodded. "All information that we have shows they have landed in the middle of the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain. We don't know how close to the battlefield they are. We can only hope for the best."

Kim smelled smoke, but this time is was campfire smoke. She opened her eyes and saw the fabric of a tent over her. Kim felt a blanket covering her. She looked down, and noticed her clothes lay in a muddy pile on the other side of the tent. She lifted the blanket, and was relieved to see that she did have what seemed to be a nightshirt on. She cried out in pain as she tried to sit up. Her head pounded as she lay back down.

"Now now, little lady, don't you go trying to get up. You've had a busy day, and got a rather large bump on the head for all your trouble" a voice said.

Kim reopened her eyes to see a small woman in a calico dress enter the tent while carrying a pan. She put the pan down, pulled a wet cloth from it, and laid the cloth on Kim's forehead. Kim lay back at the soothing feeling of the cool cloth on her sore head.

"My name is Kay, what's your name?" The lady asked.

"Kim. Kim Possible," Kim answered. She looked around. "Where am I? What day is it?" She asked.

"Well, Kim, it's a pleasure to meet you. It's June 15th, and you are in an army camp outside of Kennesaw Mountain. You were really lucky. We beat those Yankees back, 'least for awhile. You were quite the mess when the orderly brought you in." Kay pulled the cloth off, rinsed it out, and put it back on Kim's head.

Kim's mind raced. "Yankees?" she thought. Then she remembered the guns and cannon fire, the men dressed in grey. She also remembered one of the dates on Ron's computer, 'Sherman's Drive to the Sea'. They had been pulled from one of the greatest disasters of all time, just to be dropped in the middle of some of the most destructive and murderous battles of the Civil War.

"Don't you worry about those clothes. My daughter is about your size, and she brought something fit for you to wear… at least 'til we get you to our house and get some right and proper clothes for you."

Kim relaxed for a moment, and then asked "Where is Ron?"

"Ron? Who is Ron?" Kay asked.

Kim's eyes sprang open and she tried to sit up. Her head exploded in pain again. She cried out as Kay gripped her arms and laid her back.

"Whoa there! You need to take it easy."

"Ron? Ron is the young man with me. He's my boyfriend. We were…" Kim stopped. How was she going to explain this, she thought. Then, she had an idea.

"He was helping me get to my grandmother. She lives in Florida" Kim explained. "Wasn't Ron with me?"

Kay seemed lost in thought for a moment. "Wait a minute. Some of the troops were talking about the Yankee officer they caught accosting you. One of them bashed him good, and then they carried him over and tossed him in with the other prisoners."

"Bashed?" Kim screeched. "THEY BASHED RON? BUT HE ISN'T A _SOLDIER_!"

Kay sat stunned. "What do you mean? He was wearing a blue uniform. He'd put his coat under your head when the troops found you."

Kim slumped back in her bed groaning as she remembered. Ron had been wearing blue pants the night the Titanic sank. After he had given his coat to someone else, Lightoller had given Ron his jacket, his _officer's_ jacket.

"Ron was given the coat by a… by a friend who worked on a passenger ship. We didn't intend to run into the battle. Where is the jacket?"

Kay reached under the bed and handed the coat to Kim. She held it close, sniffing it. It still held the salty smell of the sea. "What will happen to Ron?"

"Well, most prisoners were sent to the local prison camp" Kay answered.

"Where is that?" Kim asked.

"Well, Andersonville, of course" was the answer.

Kim's eyes grew wide. Ron was being taken to the most notorious prison camp of the South. She _had_ to get him out.

Ron stirred for a moment and stopped when the pain hit him. Whatever he was lying on was rocking back and forth. There were strange squeaks and groans that reminded him of the old train ride he and Kim had taken on a vacation one weekend. He opened his eyes to see a number of dirty men in blue uniforms looking down at him.

"What hit me?" He asked.

One of the men turned. "Capt'n, this one's awake now."

A tall man with graying hair knelt over Ron. "Well hello there, Lieutenant. I must say though, you look mighty young to be an officer."

Ron's eyes rolled around for a moment. "ME? An officer? I'm no officer."

The Captain held a cup of water to Ron's lips. The water was stagnant, and tasted horrible. "SSppphhhttttt." Ron spit some of the water out.

The Captain nodded. "Yeah, my reaction too, son. These Reb's don't think prisoners of war deserve anything but ditchwater. What do you mean you are no officer? When the rebs dumped you in here they told us you had some officer's coat with stripes. You were so young we figured you as a Lieutenant."

"Oh man, a friend gave me that coat. I didn't…." Ron groaned.

"An officer gave you his coat?" The captain asked.

Ron nodded. "I lost my coat when the ship Kim and I were on sank, he gave me his coat. Kim and I…." Ron's eyes grew wide. "KP" he screamed. Ron jumped up and looked out around. He was in some type of train car. "Where's _KP?"_

The Captain reached up and pulled Ron back down. "Now, take it easy lad. You've had a nasty bump on the head. Who is this KP?"

"Kim Possible, my girl friend. We were trying to get away from the battlefield. She got hurt." Ron moaned.

A sergeant leaned over to Ron. "Would your KP be a lass with red hair?"

Ron tried to sit up again, but laid back down as his head swam. "Yesss!"

The sergeant turned to the Captain. "I saw the medical orderlies carrying a pretty young lass with red hair over toward the hospital. I overheard them say that she was okay. She just had a nasty bump on the head."

Ron sat up slowly and leaned against the side of the railcar. "What happens to me now?"

"Well, son, right now we are headed for a place called Andersonville. A prisoner of war camp" another soldier said.

Ron passed out.

Kim watched as the countryside passed by. Kay was sitting in the carriage next to her as they traveled down the road toward town. Kim was worried about Ron. They had checked with a number of the officers, and found that the group of men that Ron was a part of had been put on a train to Andersonville that morning. Kim held tightly onto Ron's coat. It was the only thing that was helping her cope with this sitch. Her having it in her arms was as close as having him in her arms. For now it would have to do.

Kay turned to Kim as they entered the town. "Kim, I have made some arrangements for you to stay with my brother. He is a doctor in town, and has the room. He also has some friends on General Johnston's staff. He may be able to get you in to see the General, and find out more information about your friend."

Kim nodded in reply. She hoped that she could figure a way to explain how the two of them came to be on the battlefield. She would have to figure a story plausible enough for someone to believe them. Then, find some way to get the story to Ron so that he could tell the same story if he was questioned. Kay pulled the carriage down a tree-covered street. Large antebellum homes lined the wide avenue. They traveled down the street and turned into the front yard of a large white home. A number of servants came out and waited as the carriage came to a stop in front of the home.

A tall, white haired black man helped Kay down out of the carriage. "It's good to see you, Miss Kay. Master Donald is with a patient, but said to put the young lady in the blue guest room upstairs."

Kay straightened her dress and looked up, gesturing to Kim. "Thank you, Jason. Kim, this is Jason. Jason, this is Miss Kim Possible. She's had a little bump on the head, so be gentle with her."

Jason raised his hand to take Kim's. "Welcome, Miss Kim. You gonna be alright. Miss Kay told us about your friend. Master Donald has called an officer friend of his to come by for dinner tonight, maybe he can help." Kim took Jason's leathery hand. Jason gently guided Kim to the ground.

A stout black lady standing at Jason's side made a little bow. "Greetings, Miss Kim. I'm Della. I took care of the Doctor's children, now I help take care of the house. Master Donald has asked me to take care of you. Now, I've got your room ready, so maybe you can lie down a bit. Then we'll get you ready for dinner."

"But I hoped to be able to see about finding out where Ron is. I really don't…." Kim stopped speaking when a dizzy spell hit her.

Della grabbed Kim by the arm and gently held her up. "No, honeychild, you are gonna come with me and lie down a little bit. The doctor is going to check you out. Not that he doesn't trust them army doctors, but he'd rather see for hisself."

Kim nodded, and let Jason and Della guide her up the front steps and into the front hall. Kim looked around the foyer. The front hall had a shining wood floor. There were rooms off each side going back to the rear of the house. There was a large spiraling stairway to the second floor. Kim could only think about that old movie she and Ron both despised; something about the wind. Kim followed Jason with Della at her side as they climbed to the second floor. Jason led Kim into a bright airy room on the right side of the home. There was a large white bed with blue curtains hanging from an ornate canopy. Across the room from the bed was a large dresser with a mirror. Standing near the bed was a small table with a pitcher and a bowl. Jason reached for the coat that Kim was holding. She hugged it close to her, not willing to part with it.

"Don't you worry, Miss Kim. I'm just going to wash it so it'll look good to show that officer tonight" Jason softly said, as he gently took the coat from her. He turned after patting her on the hand. "It'll be alright."

Della motioned for a young girl to come in. She was carrying a tray with a glass of what appeared to be tea, and some food. Della took the tray and placed it on another table in the room. "Now, you get something to eat and lay down for a little while. I'll tell the doctor you are here." She shooed the younger maid out of the room as she left, and closed the door behind her. Kim growled to herself. She wanted to get Ron now, but she didn't know which way he was taken and how she was going to get there. She hoped that this family would be able to help her find Ron. She stepped over to the tray and picked up the tea, and took a sip. It was sweet. She smiled, remembering that the southern areas like their tea cool and sweet. There was a sprig of mint in the tea that added a little zest to the taste. Kim picked up the sandwich on the tray. The bread was fresh and soft, piled high with ham. Kim took a bite, marveling at the smooth, cool taste. She sat in a chair, wondering what was happening to Ron. She hoped he was ok and that they were treating him well.

"Move along, move along!"

Ron shuffled down the dusty road. The Captain, whose name was Hank Renfrow, walked next to him. All the other men that had been in the cattle car with them walked around them. They had been ordered out of the train car earlier, and now were being marched through the countryside. Ron watched as many of the men struggled to walk. Some were injured, and were being helped or carried by others. The hot sun beat down on them as the dust filled their eyes and mouths. Soon, a strange smell came to their noses. It gained in strength as they continued forward. As they came over a hill, they saw a large stockade. Inside was a mass of humanity.

"Form lines in front of the Colonel" a sergeant ordered. Ron and the men he was with shuffled into a number of lines in front of a small covered porch. A tall, aristocratic man walked out onto the porch, and looked out over the men.

"You are now prisoners of war of the Andersonville prison camp. There are a few rules, but we will let your fellows inside explain them. However, there is a small fence along the inside of the main stockade. Do not cross this line. Do so and you will be _shot_ without question or warning. Obey the guards, and do not cause trouble. Sergeant, move them out." The Colonel turned and reentered the office building. The sergeant saluted and turned to the men.

"Alright, line up. Give your name, rank, and unit" he ordered.

Ron followed the rest of the men as they were forced into a line by the armed guards. A line of tables had been set up with a number of men sitting at them. Then, Captain Renfrow put his hand on Ron's shoulder. "I don't know if it will do any good, but I've spoken to most of the men here. None of them know you. Maybe we can convince them that you aren't a soldier, but a civilian that got caught up in the battle."

"Th.h.h.hanks" Ron stammered.

The line of soldiers filed by the tables, giving the information requested. Captain Renfrow and Ron made their way to a table where a Confederate Captain sat with a couple of corporals. "Captain, I have need of your help."

The Confederate Captain eyed Renfrow. "And just why would I want to help you, Yank?"

Captain Renfrow gestured to Ron. "This young man was put in with us. No one knows him. He doesn't have a uniform on, and he says he is a civilian who got caught in the fight."

What's your name, boy?" the officer asked.

"Ron. Ron Stoppable" Ron whimpered.

"Uhuh" grunted the grey clad officer. One of the guards with the train came up behind the officer and whispered in his ear. The officer's gaze at Ron narrowed as he listened.

"So, boy, you were messing with one of our southern ladies?"

Ron shook his head. "No Sir. That's my girlfriend Kim. We got…got caught on the battlefield and couldn't get away."

The officer leaned forward. "Well, just what were you two doing there anyways?"

Ron had to think fast. How would KP handle this? Wait a minute… Nana. Nana Possible.

Mentally, Ron crossed his fingers and hoped that wherever Kim was that she was telling somewhat the same story. "KP's grandma lives in Florida. I was trying to help her get down there."

The Confederate officer smirked. "Likely story, son. Nice try, though. Now, git over there with the rest of them."

"But he ain't a soldier I tell you" yelled Captain Renfrow.

The Confederate Captain's hand went to his pistol. "Now, the more you protest makes me think that there is something special about this boy. Maybe he has some connections. Well, none of that will do him any good here. Git over there before you get shot for causing trouble."

Captain Renfrow pulled Ron back and led him over to join the other soldiers. The gates opened, and the group was lead into the prison walls. The Confederate Captain looked down on this list. "Ron Stoppable, hmmm, maybe that's a name I need to tell the Colonel. We'll have to watch for this one." He looked up to see the small youth standing at the side of the Yankee Captain as the gates to the prison closed.

Kim stood in her room as Della looked on approvingly. Della had entered the room earlier with a couple of dresses for Kim to choose from. After a few tries, Kim picked one, and Della helped her to get dressed for the dinner. Earlier, the Doctor had come in and examined Kim's head and pronounced it fairly severe, but not life threatening. Her head might hurt badly for several days, but there were no signs of any apparent brain damage. The dizziness probably was from being exhausted, and everything happening at once.

Kim looked down at her dress. The large hoop dress was of green cotton. The sleeves were long, with lace at the cuffs. The bodice was tight with a slim waist. The shoulders poofed slightly, then thinned down to the elbows. Kim had struggled with the necessary additions to her underwear for her to wear such a large dress. The stays of the hoop dress made her feel like she was wearing a giant umbrella around her waist, and the whalebone corset she was given to wear squeezed her midsection so tightly she could hardly breathe. She felt like a whale, but was kind enough to keep those thoughts to herself. Kim moved to sit on the bed.

"Miss Kim, be…."

WHACK

"OWWW!" Kim yelped, her hands flying up to her nose. One of the stays of her dress had flipped up to whack her square in the nose. She stood up quickly to let the dress fall back in place. She was rubbing her nose as Della pulled her hands away.

"Miss Kim, now you know better than to sit like that. Let me see that nose of yours. Nope, not broke, but I've seen many a young lady bash her nose good by not paying attention."

Kim sighed as she sat down. She gathered her dress carefully under her as she sat down, then stood to let the dress fall back properly. There was a knock at the door, and Della went to open it. Dr. James stood at the door.

"Well, aren't you a sight of these old eyes. It's been sometime since such beauty was in this house, what with my children grown and my blessed wife gone all these years."

Kim blushed as the Doctor extended his arm. He patted her hand as she slipped her arm around his. "Captain Mankey is here. He is a friend of mine, and works on General Johnston's staff. I think maybe that he will be able to help you find your friend."

Kim's mind flipped. _Mankey?_ No way! It couldn't be…

Kim looked down at the bottom of the stairs to see a young officer standing in the foyer. He wore the rank of Captain on his collar. The golden sash around his waist accented the sword slung to his side. The officer glanced up the stairs to see Kim and the Doctor coming down. He looked a lot like she suspected Josh will look like when he gets to his mid-twenties.

The Doctor stopped at the bottom of the stairs and half turned to the Captain. "Captain Mankey, may I present Miss Kim Possible. Miss Possible, this is Captain Mankey."

Captain Mankey bowed to Kim. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Possible."

Kim curtsied to the Captain. "Thank you, kind Sir. It's also pleasure to meet _you_."

The Captain extended his arm for Kim. Kim graciously smiled as she took his arm, and he led her into the dining room.

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"So, Miss Possible, you and your friend were heading to your grandmother's when you walked into the fight at Kennesaw Mountain? He was captured there, as they thought he was a Union soldier because of his clothes. Wasn't it a little unwise of the two of you to walk right into the fight?"

Kim blushed and nodded. They had finished with dinner, and had been talking about helping Ron. "Yes, Captain. We tried to take a shortcut across the battlefield. Otherwise, it could have added days to our trip trying to get around either army."

Captain Mankey sighed and settled back in his chair. "Okay, this coat that he had. That seems to be the thing that they thought made him a Union officer. May I see it?"

The Doctor rang a bell, and Jason entered the room. "Jason, please get the coat for Captain Mankey."

"Yes, sir" Jason said, and left the room. He almost immediately returned carrying the coat. Kim could tell that it had been washed and pressed. Jason handed the coat to Captain Mankey, and stood back to the side of the room.

Captain Mankey examined the coat closely. "This is not a Union Officer's uniform. This belongs to a merchant officer. My cousin Philip is Second Officer on a passenger ship. This coat is almost exactly like his. Although, for unenlightened enlisted men, I can tell how they made the mistake."

Kim closed her eyes and sighed. At least _this_ officer believed her.

Captain Mankey gave the coat back to Jason. "Miss Possible, I would like you to come with me to the General's headquarters in the morning. I will speak to the General, and I believe he will write a parole for your friend. I just hope that your friend can survive on his own for another couple of days."

"Thank you, Captain. I'll be ready in the morning" she said. She glanced out the window and thought… Hang on, Ron. I'll get you out of there soon. Just hang on.

Ron sat with a group of men around a small fire. Captain Renfrow and Sergeant Grimes were sitting with him. The other men were some of the ones that had come in on the same train car. They had been issued a small portion of salt pork and some corn meal. The soldiers had cut up the salt pork and fried it in a pan. They then added the cornmeal and added a little bit of water. The cornmeal absorbed the grease from the salt pork, and the water allowed the mixture to congeal into a thick pasty mush.

One of the men handed Ron an extra spoon, and they all started to eat. Ron had to keep from gagging on the mixture. He realized that the salt pork must have been partially rancid. The other men seemed to have no trouble eating the meal. Another soldier handed Ron a small can. It burned his hand slightly as he smelled fresh coffee. He blew into the can and took a sip. He coughed violently at the strength of the brew.

The other soldier laughed. "Well Captain, I guess Rondo here doesn't like my coffee."

There was a scream from another campfire. "RAIDERS!"

Ron turned to see a number of Union soldiers running in their direction. Some had clubs, one had a large knife, and others used their hands and fists to beat the others around them. One of the men came running at Ron, swinging his club.

Thus ends another chapter of Tunnel Vision. Kim and Ron have been separated. Now, Kim is safe, but Ron is in one of the worst Civil War prisoner of war camps in the south.

I am not making any side right or wrong in what happens or happened. As for myself, I am southern. My great great grandfather was killed fighting on the side of the south. He was killed during the siege of Petersburg near the final months of the war.

The Raiders were a group of Union soldiers who preyed on the other prisoners. They would beat, kill or maim anyone to get anything they wanted from the other prisoners.

The meal Ron ate at the prison camp was typical Civil War fare. Food then was not the best and preparation was even worse.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter of Kim and Ron's story. Leave a review if you would like. I would appreciate it.


	6. Chapter 6 The Civil War SitchII

**Tunnel Vision**

**By Captainkodak1**

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Captain Renfrow and Sergeant Grimes dug through the remains of their campsite. Tenting lay in shreds, pots and pans strewn about the ground. Several of the men they came in with lay here and there while being tended by other prisoners. Some were missing their coats or their shoes. So far one had been killed, three seriously injured, and others had a number of bumps and bruises. Captain Renfrow stood and looked at the other end of the camp. The Raiders were sitting back, counting their booty from the raid. Sergeant Grimes ducked under the remains of one of the tents.

"Well, Ron, I wish you were in this man's army. From what many of the men say they saw last night, we could use you in a fight. How's your head?"

Grimes looked down on the youth. His blackened right eye was closed up and his lip was split. That had to hurt badly. He was impressed the youth could even function.

Ron tried to smile. "Ouch…What did they say they saw? I just tripped and fell."

Ron played over in his mind the fight of the prior evening.

'The Raider swung his club at Ron's head as Ron bent backward, allowing the club to pass over him. Then, spinning in a low crouch, he kicked the Raider's feet out from under him. The Raider sat up, only to catch Ron's elbow right in the nose. Ron heard the satisfying crunch of the man's nose as he went down and didn't move. Ron turned to see another raider approaching. This man was as large as any of the goons he normally found around Drakken. The Raider threw a punch at Ron's head. Ron caught the fist is his, and turned, pulling the man forward. Ron spun, pulling the man up and over his shoulder. The man sailed over Ron and landed in the middle of the campfire, catching his clothes on fire. The Raider screamed, and rolled back and forth trying to extinguish his flaming clothes. He leapt to his feet only to catch a kick from Ron that dropped him like a rock.

Ron turned to look around and was blindsided by another raider. A fist came out of the darkness to catch Ron on his right eye. Ron saw stars for a moment, then instinctively readied for the next attack. The Raider called out and Ron saw there were three more approaching. He started to back up, when he nearly tripped over something. He glanced down and saw the cast iron frying pan that they had cooked supper in. He grabbed the frying pan and readied himself. A blow came in from the right and Ron put up the frying pan to block. The clear ringing clang told him that the raider's fist had found the frying pan instead of his face. Without thinking, Ron swung the frying pan back behind him. Another clang signaled another Raider had introduced his face to the back of the frying pan, and subsequently, to the ground. Ron ducked again as another Raider tried to grab him. Ron swung the pan low and hard. Another clang, then strangled cry, told Ron that his hit had rung true, as he had hit _this_ man below the belt buckle. The man screeched and fell to the ground, groaning. Ron turned to face the last Raider when a number of the other Raiders started to yell. The red-headed soldier sneered at Ron, then turned and ran. The other Raiders stumbled or crawled back to their end of the camp. Ron stepped back, and lost his footing as he fell into a hole.'

Ron was brought back to reality as Grimes patted him on the back. "Well, I know I saw you take down five of the biggest Raiders there are. Three of them had to be carried back by their buddies." Grimes handed Ron a tin cup full of his coffee. "Here. If this place or the Raiders don't kill ya, maybe my coffee will."

Ron held the hot cup carefully and sipped at the brew. He started to cough, then took another sip. He eyed Grimes. "Well, it's now official. I've found someone who makes coffee even worse than Kim." Grimes busted out laughing.

"I take it that your Kim isn't very gifted in the kitchen" he stated.

Ron laughed. "Yeah, she can do a lot of things, but cooking is _not _one of them."

Grimes was about to speak again when a number of prisoners approached their camp. Ron stood slowly as he put down his coffee. Grimes stood at Ron's side and was ready to fight beside Ron with pride. A Major in ragged clothes raised his hands. "Whoa there, fella. We ain't here to fight. But we wanted to talk to you. Word is around camp that this young man took down five of the Raiders by himself. We came over to warn you that the Raiders have a good memory, and next time they come they'll be making sure they find this here young fella. Second, we come to ask your help. We call ourselves the Regulators. Captain Henry Wirz told us if we can catch the Raiders, he would allow us to put them on trial. What do you say, young fella?"

Ron sat down shaking his head in his hands. "I'm not that much of a fighter, but I _will_ help if I can."

The Major nodded as he extended his hand. "Sounds good to me. My names Malachi Johnson."

Ron shook the hand. "Ron. Ron Stoppable."

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Shego sat back in her chair as she filed her nails. The bank of monitors displayed numerous hallways and outside views of their current lair. She paused a moment to view several screens, and sat tapping her fingers.

"Hey, Dr. D, we did steal that power pack from the lab, right?"

Drakken looked up at his shapely partner through the welding goggles he was wearing.

"Of course, Shego. Why do you ask? I need to finish this before Kim Possible arrives."

Shego stood and scanned the monitors again. "That's the point, Dr. D. The Princess and the buffoon should have shown up by _now_."

Drakken turned off his welder. "You mean… she's late?"

"No Drakken, it's like she's not coming at all" Shego stated. "Come to think of it, I haven't seen a thing about her on TV for several days now. I wonder what could have happened. I think I'll take a little trip to Middleton. Maybe I can find out what's going on."

Drakken twiddled his tiny hands as Shego started for the door. "You mean you are going to leave me here….alone…by _myself?_ What if Kim Possible shows up?"

Shego turned and smiled back at her employer. "I'll be sure to lock the door on my way out. And if Kimmie comes while I'm gone, tell her to wait for me to get back. In the meantime she can amuse herself by beating the crap out of you.'

"That's not funny, Shego…" Drakken whined.

Shego turned, one hand flaming.

Drakken backed up. "…but I'm sure everything will be fine."

Shego strode from the room, heading for the launch bay and their hovercraft.

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Bonnie Rockwaller sat fuming on a gym bench. She glanced up at the clock again, then pulled out her phone and hit a dial button. She waited for a few moments, and then began to speak. "K, we are all waiting here for you. You're late. We have to get ready for the Regionals, _and you aren't here_. It's so typical of you to cut out when you're needed most. So get off your world saving butt, grab that sorry excuse for a boyfriend of yours, and _get down here_." Bonnie snapped her phone shut and stood up to look at the other cheerleaders doing some exercises.

"OK, I guess K and that loser aren't coming. Let's get started. I guess since they missed this called practice, that they're _off_ the team. Since I am Co-Captain, that'll make me Captain. Let's go."

Tara was about to say something when Barkin strode into the gym and approached the squad. "Alright, listen up people. Possible and Stoppable will not be able to be here. They have been detained on a mission. I have been informed by the proper authorities that they are okay, but this mission may take them away for some time. Due to the nature of the mission they are excused from any absences. Rockwaller, you are to take over until Possible returns. Now, get to work."

Bonnie growled. "But Mr. Barkin, the cheer squad manual clearly states that missing a major practice like this means you are off the _team_. Only special consideration can be given, and only the school board can give that."

Barkin spun and glared down at Bonnie. "Rockwaller, you were told what to do. I REPEAT, I was informed by the proper authorities that Possible and Stoppable are out of town on a mission on unknown length. THAT is all you need to know. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?"

Bonnie shrank under the tirade from Barkin. "Yes sir."

Barkin ground his teeth as he continued to stare down at the brunette. "GOOD! Now, get to _practice._

Bonnie watched as Barkin left the gym. She turned to the team. "OK, you heard the man. Let's get ready to go over those moves." Bonnie opened her phone again and dialed a number. "Jason, listen, I know you live near Kim and Ron. I need you to do a favor for me…"

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Kim sat on the front porch of the Doctor's mansion, fanning herself with the white lace fan that Della had given her. It was midmorning, and she was waiting for Captain Mankey to come to pick her up. The evening before, she had used the Kimmunicator that she had retrieved from her clothes to send a message back to Wade. She told them _when _they were and _where _they were. Kim's eyes had teared when she wrote what had happened to Ron. Then she updated them of her condition, and what was happening. She didn't think she would hear from the base for some time.

After a breakfast in bed, Della had entered her room carrying a green and white dress. Kim worked with Della to be dressed, and now waited for the Captain. She was wearing the cottony white and green dress. The skirt billowed about her legs. The waist was tight and featured a bodice that was a little lower than she normally would be comfortable with. A white wide brimmed hat sat perched on the back of her head. White lace gloves and a white lacy parasol completed her ensemble.

She turned her head when she noticed Captain Mankey arriving on horseback. He was leading a carriage being driven by a servant. The Captain dismounted in front of the home, and bowed before her. He swept his hat off as he bowed.

"Good morning, Miss Possible. I must say you look especially lovely this morning."

Kim stood and curtsied. "Good morning, Captain Mankey. I thank you very much."

The Captain replaced his hat and climbed the steps to take Kim by the hand. Kim carefully negotiated the steps in front of the mansion and up to the carriage. Captain Mankey waited for the driver to lower the steps, and then held Kim's hand as he guided her into her seat in the carriage. Jason came out of the front door with Ron's coat in his hands.

"Miss Kim, the coat, you forgot the coat."

Jason handed the coat to Kim, who hugged it tightly to her chest. Captain Mankey smiled as he mounted the carriage and took a seat across from Kim. "This Ron must be a very fine young man."

Kim nodded with a smile. "Yes, he is. We have known each other since we were four years old. He is the best friend I have ever had. I can't see life without him."

Captain Mankey nodded. "Well, let's see about getting him out of that place." He turned and nodded to the driver. With a whistle and slap of the reins he drove the paired horses up the drive and out into the street. The Captain's horse had been tied to the rear of the carriage and followed along. Kim watched as they entered the countryside. She began to see more and more soldiers. Two men on horseback joined them and acted as escort. Kim began to notice the wounded lying along the side of the road. Many of the soldiers walking along the road saw Kim and the Captain approaching. They all would stand straight and remove their hats as the carriage passed.

The driver turned the carriage into the yard of a large home. Soldiers on horseback rode in and rode out. A pair of flags hung from the front pillars of the home. One Kim noticed was the Confederate flag. The other she assumed was the flag of the army surrounding her. The carriage came to a halt in front of the steps. A number of officers standing on the porch turned as they noticed the passengers riding in the carriage. Captain Mankey stood and exited the carriage, then turned to assist Kim. Kim carefully stepped out of the carriage onto the ground, and waited for Captain Mankey to extend his arm. He helped her as she climbed the steps. As she arrived on the porch, the officers turned and tipped their hats. The two guards standing at the door snapped to attention and saluted.

Captain Mankey opened the door and escorted Kim into the foyer of the home. Then, making a turn, he led her into the front parlor. "Have a seat, Miss Possible. I will let the General know that you are here. He is expecting us. If you would like anything, please let the Corporal here know." Captain Mankey indicated a tall, thin soldier standing at a desk in front of the fireplace. He turned to the Corporal as the man stood. "If Miss Possible needs anything, please get it for her. I will be with the General."

The Corporal saluted as the Captain left the room. "Yes Sir."

The Corporal stepped over to Kim and removed his hat. "I am Corporal Mason, Miss Possible. Would you care for some lemonade?"

Kim nodded. "Please and thank you."

The Corporal turned and left the room. He returned in just a minute, carrying a tall glass of lemonade with ice. Kim took the glass and took her first sip. The cool sweet liquid felt wonderful as it went down her throat. "Thank you very much, Corporal."

He smiled. "Just let me know if you would like anything else. The Captain and the General will be right with you." The Corporal returned to his desk near the fireplace.

Kim sat drinking the lemonade as couriers came and went. The house was extremely busy with officers entering and leaving in a constant stream. There were intermittent booms of cannons in the distance. Out on the road, wagons and men passed busily in both directions.

Captain Mankey returned and motioned for Kim. "The General will see you now." Kim stood and arranged her hat and dress, then picked up Ron's coat and followed the Captain. He led her across the hall and through the front room into the General's office. Kim glanced across the desk at the tall older man. He stood ramrod straight as he read a paper in his hand. General Johnston looked up as Kim entered the room. He laid the paper down, and turned to face Kim. He bowed, proffering his hand to a chair. "Welcome, Miss Possible. Captain Mankey has apprised me of your situation. Please have a seat."

Kim took a seat and folded her hands in her lap, still holding Ron's coat tightly. This being a little lady of the south was getting to be a pain in the butt. She was used to action, and _not_ used to wearing corsets and stays. They were furiously uncomfortable. But, if playing the southern belle would help get Ron out of that place, then she would do it. General Johnston took a seat, and Captain Mankey stood at the edge of his desk.

"Is that the coat in question? May I see it, please?" Johnston asked.

Kim handed the coat to the Captain, who in turn handed it to the General. He opened the coat and glanced at it. He nodded to Captain Mankey, who turned and left the room. He returned with another officer.

Johnston stood as the other officer entered the room.

"Miss Possible, this is Major Howard. He served as first mate on a merchantman and spent some time in the Union navy before he joined the army. I have asked him to join us to confirm the status of this coat."

The new officer turned and bowed to Kim. "Miss Possible." Kim nodded as she smiled. Johnston handed the coat to Major Howard, who inspected it carefully, then handed it back to the General.

"This is definitely the coat of a second officer on a passenger or merchant ship. This is _most_ definitely not a Union officer's coat. However, I can see how some of our men made the mistake."

He turned to Kim. "I sincerely hope that you will be able to get that young man of yours out of Camp Sumter. This war has split up too many couples already." He saluted the General, and left the room.

The General picked up a pen along with a sheet of message paper and started to write. Kim watched as he would dip the pen in the ink well and continue to write. He signed the letter, dried it with a blotter, then sealed it in an envelope. Captain Mankey took the envelope, and then handed it to Kim. The General spoke as Kim held the letter.

"Miss Possible, that is a parole for your young man. I have made arrangements for Captain Mankey to escort you to Camp Sumter. I will inform the good Doctor that you will be leaving on the next train, and to have your bags packed and ready. Miss Possible, I will also send a message to the Commander of the camp, General John H. Winder, to expect you."

He came around his desk as Kim stood. He took her hands in his. "Now, Miss, go get that Ron of yours." Tears began to flow from Kim's eyes as she stood on her tiptoes and placed a small kiss on the General's cheek. His face flushed under his beard. "Miss Possible, I think I would take _that _over any medal, any day. Captain Mankey?" Johnston stepped back. "You have your orders." The Captain saluted, and proffered his arm again to Kim. She bowed to the General, took Ron's coat, and left the General's office.

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Several men lay groaning in the Raider's camp. The red headed soldier walked up to a tall, sturdily built man. "Major, we got one with a bad burn, another with a broken nose, still another one with a broken hand. Sir, Davis is still out cold, and Mason will have trouble walking for awhile. We got some clothes and shoes, but we came off worse than we gave. All because of one of those new soldiers. "

The Major ran his hand through his jet black hair. "Does this man have a name, Willard?"

Willard rubbed the top of his head with his hand. "That's the funny thing, Major. It won't a man that did most of this. It was a little strap of a boy."

"A _BOY_?" screamed the Major. "A boy took down five of my best men all by himself? You expect me to believe _that?_"

Willard stepped back." Major, I wouldn't a believed it myself if I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes. I ain't never seen anyone fight like he did. There _was_ a queer thing though… for a second I swear I saw his eyes glowed blue… but I guess it was a trick of the light."

The Major snorted. "Sounds like the lot of you had a little too much to drink before the raid. Does this boy have a _name_?"

Willard nodded. "Yeah, we asked around in the right places. He came in with that lot yesterday. The word was he's a civilian that got mixed up in the battle the other day. His name is… let's see, 'twas a funny name. Ron Stipp… no... Ron Propp…. no that's not it …oh, yeah… Ron Stoppable."

The Major nodded. "Ron Stoppable, huh? Well, next raid we need to have a special welcome party for this Ron Stoppable."

Willard looked at his feet and shuffled back and forth. "Well… that ain't all."

The Major glared back at the soldier. "Well, do I have to wait for it?"

"No, Sir. I saw three of them Regulators talking to him. Then he walked over to their campsite."

The Major cursed and kicked the man nearest him. "Just what we need, The Regulators getting stronger. We have to make plans. Not tonight, but tomorrow night. Tell the men to get ready and find out where this Ron is. Then let's make some plans. Give a description of the boy to each of 'em. Tell 'em the one who takes this Ron Stoppable down will get an extra shot of whiskey. We can't have anybody standing up to us. The sooner this Ron is dead, the better."

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Captain Wirz was sitting at his desk in the Headquarters building of Camp Sumter when an orderly entered the room and handed him a telegram. Wirz sat back and opened the note and briefly read it. He called for Captain Sommers.

"Captain Sommers, you mentioned the name of a prisoner that was brought to your attention yesterday. You told me that the soldiers he was with said he was a civilian taken prisoner by mistake."

The Captain thought for a moment. "Yes Sir, now that you mention it, I remember that. The prisoner they were talking about was not much more than a boy, but I figured that this boy just had connections. I know this also. This boy was the one that broke up the attack by the Raiders on the new prisoners. Word from the guards on the wall was that the boy took down John Davis, Henry Bynum, Howard O'Conner, William Mason and Joshua Hawkins."

Wirz rubbed his chin. "Those are some pretty bad boys. And this boy took them all down? Hmmm… no matter. Apparently, Captain, those other prisoners were correct." He handed the Captain the telegram he had received from General Winder'sclerk.

The Captain took the message and read it. He looked up a Wirz. "Sir? This is a direct order from General Johnston." It read;

General Winder

Captain Mankey of my command staff will arrive at your command, escorting a young lady by the name of Miss Kim Possible. She has in her hands a parole for a prisoner named Ron Stoppable. You are ordered to immediately remove the young man from the stockade and place him in protective custody. Upon arrival of Miss Possible and Captain Mankey, and you are in receipt of the parole, you are to have Captain Wirz release to them Ron Stoppable.

By command of General Johnston.

Wirz reached for the telegram as the Captain handed it back to him.

"Captain, since you know what this young man looks like, you are to take a platoon of guards, enter the stockade, and find the boy. Then, get him out of there. I do _not _wish to wire General Johnston, _or_ tell his aide that is coming that the young man is dead or injured."

The Captain saluted and left the office. "Sergeant of the Guard. Assemble a platoon! We need to enter the stockade to remove a prisoner."

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Captain Renfrow, Sergeant Grimes and Ron sat around a fire with a number of other soldiers. Their new campsite was near one of the walls and under one of the guard stations. The stakes and rails of the dead line that circled the outside perimeter of the compound made up one side of their campsite. The Regulators had asked the three to join in to help fight the Raiders. They also knew that the Raiders would try to retaliate for the fight the night before. Ron's life would be in danger for some time. The word in the camp was that the Raiders had it in for Ron, and the activities of the Raiders hinted that they were planning something.

They had finished supper and were preparing to get some sleep. Some of the other Regulators were standing guard, wary of any attack by the Raiders. Ron had just settled down under what little cover they had. He didn't have a blanket. He knew that when winter came, and if he was still there, he would have to get one. His thoughts went to Kim. All he knew was that she had been injured, but was okay. Ron thought of running his hands through her auburn hair. He hoped that someday he would be able to look into those emerald green eyes. He settled down in the little pit in the ground that would be his home for now. He hoped that he would dream of Kim in his arms, her lips on his, her head nestled into that special place on his shoulder. He also knew that Kim would move heaven and earth to get back to him. If the Tunnel sent the call signal and they were not together, he hoped that she would have a good life once she got back to the Space Center.

Screams and shouts signaled another coming attack by the Raiders. This time it was in another part of the camp. Ron climbed out of his hole and out from under the canopy. He stood up beside Captain Renfrow and Sgt. Grimes. Their eyes scanned the darkness, trying to pick out what was happening. More shouts signaled the opening of the stockade gates and the entrance of a platoon of guards. Captain Renfrow turned to speak to Ron when a number of men charged the site, screaming.

Renfrow turned, only to be tackled by a Raider. Ron jumped to the side, barely avoiding another Raider. Sgt. Grimes grappled with still another soldier. Ron noticed more and more of the Raiders charging their camp. The other Regulators were putting up a fight, but it was clear that they were outnumbered. It was becoming quite clear that the first raid was a diversion. The main attack was coming straight at their campsite.

Ron caught a club as it came at him. He pulled forward, then downward, pulling the Raider off his feet. Ron drove the edge of his hand across the wrist of the Raider. The man screeched and let go of the club with the wet snap of bone. Ron wrenched the club from the man and brought is down across his back. The man dropped forward on the ground and lay still. Ron turned and used his club to block a blow from another attacker. He spun and brought his club down, splitting the other's club in half. He then brought the club up, literally lifting the man off the ground. The attacker wheezed and dropped to his knees.

Regulators and Raiders grappled in the darkness as fists connected with chins, clubs hit flesh, and feet hit shins. Ron dodged another Raider by jumping to the side. Ron looked up to face a massive man coming at him. In the dim light, Ron noticed Majors' bars on the man's coat. With a roar, the man hurled himself at Ron. Ron fell backwards, lifting his feet to drive them into the gut of the Major. He flipped the man over his head to crash into the dirt behind him. Ron struggled to his feet just in time to see the redheaded soldier slowly approaching. His hand went inside his coat and he drew a long bladed knife from his waistband.

Ron backed up, keeping the man in front of him. The red headed soldier slashed at Ron, then brought the knife back down. Ron tried to keep calm and remember his training from Sensei and Hirotaka at Yamanouchi as he dodged another slash from the soldier. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the Major crouching, reading to attack. Willard noticed Ron was distracted for a split second, and slashed again. Only Ron's ninja training saved him. He hissed in pain as the knife blade slid across his stomach. He was cut, but he could not stop to see how badly.

The Major launched himself at Ron as soon as he saw the knife cut across Ron's stomach. He would catch the boy, and Willard would finish him. What he was not prepared for was the club coming from nowhere to crash into the side of his head. His unconscious body continued on, driving Ron backward.

Ron felt and heard the club strike the Raider. The man's body hit him in the chest and drove him backwards. The dry snap of wood told Ron that he was in a world of trouble. THE DEADLINE. He was across the deadline. Ron froze, stunned and in pain.

"HALT!"

Ron looked up to see a guard standing inside the deadline along with a number of other guards. They must have been the group that had entered the grounds. The guard lifted his rifle and aimed it at Ron. Ron raised his hand and started to yell not to shoot, the end of the rifle yawning at him. Then Ron's world was enveloped in smoke and flame.

"**_KABLAM!"_**

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Thus ends this part of the Civil War sitch. Kim is on her way to Ron with the power to get his release. What will happen to Ron until then, well you will have to wait.

Just a few points. I made a big mistake. I guess I thought wrong or wrote something down wrong but the main battle of Kennesaw Mountain was on the 27th not the 15th oh well. Sorry about that, but it is incredibly complex to put Kim and Ron into an actual timestream and make it work. I'm gonna goof once in awhile. The new timeline actually helps my story as you will soon see.

Camp Sumter was the official name for Andersonville.

The actual commander of the area was General John H. Winder after a Colonel Persons. Captain Wirz apparently was the day to day commander.

Many comments have been made that there were a couple Union camp that were just as bad if not worse than Andersonville. I knew that, but still intended to use Andersonville. Why, I really don't know but it fits for what I wanted to do.

The Raiders were a group of Union soldiers that preyed on the other soldiers in the camp. A group of soldiers in the camp was formed called the Regulators. They worked and fought to stop the Raiders. What happens between the two groups? You'll have to wait and find out.

Thanks for hanging in there with me on this story. I have really had to do some extra homework on it. Hat's off to my beta Rancherod. He helped confirm a few things for me. Thanks man. Hat's off to my other beta also. His support has really helped. Thanks Dave.

As always Kim and the gang are owned by the Disney company. There are a number of names in the story that are historical fact. Otherwise the names of figments of my imagination.


	7. Chapter 7 The Civil War Sitch III

**Tunnel Vision  
Chapter 7  
by Captainkodak1**

* * *

It had been hours since they boarded the train and headed for the camp. Kim's temper was simmering about as hot as the train's boiler. What should have been just a two or three-hour trip had taken twice as long. When the train wasn't breaking down, something was wrong with the tracks. If it was not the train or the tracks it was other trains breaking down and blocking the tracks, or trains moving war materials or troops forcing their train onto sidings.

Along the way, Kim had seen the poverty of the land. Farmland lay untended. Small shacks with squalid gardens could be seen on parts of the farms. Kim saw many women and children but almost no men. There were slaves working some of the farmland but most land was untended. Children in threadbare clothes played along the rail line. Kim watched as they waved at the train passing by.

Kim sat impatiently as the train pulled into its stop. Captain Mankey sat across from her, observing her as the train rolled to a stop and released its steam. As she began to get up, Mankey gently pushed her back down in her seat.

"Let me make sure our transportation is outside and where we are supposed to go."

Kim snapped her head around to him.

"Where we are supposed to _go_? I thought we would go straight and get _Ron_."

Captain Mankey held his hat in his hand. "I really hope it will be that easy. But I want to be sure that we can get in to see the commander of the camp. It's just the way things work in the military. I am sure everything is okay, but I just want to make sure."

"Then I'll just walk _with_ you", Kim stated as she stood.

Mankey was about to say something else but hesitated when Kim threw him a glance. He knew that she brooked no argument. He bowed and gestured for her to step into the aisle. Kim placed her hat on her head and moved to leave the train. Mankey stepped off the train first then raised his hand to help Kim down to the train landing. She glanced around to see a number of people stepping off the train; most appeared to be either soldiers or officers. A number of the soldiers were missing limbs or had bandages covering parts of their bodies. Mankey motioned to one of the soldiers standing on the landing to take Kim's bag. A carriage stood on the street in front of the train station as they came out of the station. A sergeant saluted Mankey.

"Captain Mankey?" he asked.

Mankey returned the salute. "Yes, Sergeant. I am Captain Mankey. This is Miss Possible. Are you our guide?"

The sergeant bowed to Kim then turned back to Captain Mankey. "Yes, Sir. I am to take you directly to Captain Wirz's office. Then to the hospital."

Kim's heart skipped a beat. "Hospital?" she squeaked.

Ron opened his eyes to see that he was lying on a cot in an open room with a number of other men. Grey uniforms dangled from hangers over each cot. Orderlies moved among the beds along with a number of young ladies who were apparently acting as nurses. He tried to sit up but a stabbing pain in his head stopped him. He moaned as he lay back and then he remembered what had happened. He looked down, afraid of what he might see. His chest was unmarked. He continued to check himself out. There was no _way_ that the soldier could have missed at _that_ range.

A young soldier noticed that Ron was stirring. "Hey, Gail! This'un moving!"

A young nurse came over to check on him. "Now you take it _easy_. You have had _quite_ a hard time."

"How?" Ron asked, his voice quivering.

"How _what_?" Gail asked.

"He probably asking how he is still _alive_."

Ron turned to see the Confederate Captain that Renfrow had spoken to standing at the end of his bed.

"Young man, you lead a _charmed_ life. Do you remember what _happened_?"

Ron sat up, wincing. His head swam for a moment. A cup of water was thrust into his hands. Ron took a sip and then drained the whole cup. He nodded, his thoughts going back to the shooting. He had been standing inside the dead line when he saw the soldier aiming at him. The rifle fired. Ron felt and heard the whip crack of the bullet as it passed his head. He heard a wet splat behind him. He had slowly turned around to see the red-headed soldier falling to the ground, a long-bladed knife falling from his hand. Ron turned back to the soldier who had fired the shot. Ron's head rang from a blow and darkness surrounded him.

"If he _missed_, then why do I feel like a _train_ hit me?"

Captain Sommers pulled up a chair. "Well, do you remember the fight?"

Ron nodded.

The Captain continued. "We were coming in to find you and ended up running straight into the fight between you, the Regulators and the Raiders. Corporal Raines had stepped into the dead line area to get closer to you. That's when you decked the Major, which, by the way, was the biggest favor you could have done the whole camp. The Major knocked you over the dead line right in front of him. He signaled the other guards not to shoot you when he saw that Willard fellow coming up behind you. So he shot him. You got hit by another one of the Raiders."

Ron listened to the Captain as he explained what had happened. Then part of what he had said came back to him. "You were coming for me? Why?"

The Captain patted him on his leg. "Well, apparently that Yankee Captain was telling the truth. You _are_ a civilian. We had orders to remove you from the camp and take care of you until a Captain Mankey and a Miss Possible arrived."

Ron's eyes bulged at the mention of Kim's name. "Kim? She's _here_?"

The Captain turned and looked up the aisle to the door, then stood. Ron turned to see what he was looking at. Someone was coming in the door. That someone was Kim. He took in the image of his lifelong friend and now love standing there in the door. She was an image of beauty that he could barely believe. She was wearing what appeared to be a white and green cotton dress in the prevalent style of the times. A white hat sat perched on the back of her head, her hand covered in lace gloves.

"KP?" he called.

"RON!" Kim screeched.

Even at the distance that was separating them Ron could see Kim's lip quivering. Her eyes started to tear and she stepped into the room. Her steps gained speed as she reached down and pulled up the hem of her skirt. Her hat fell off her head and bounced on her back as she ran toward him.

Ron stood and had made it to the end of his cot when Kim crashed into him. Her arms enveloped his neck, her lips capturing his. His arms encircled her waist as he pulled her to him. The two remained like that, lost in each other. Captain Mankey stepped into the room following Kim and stood to the side. The men in the hospital clapped and whistled. Kim broke the kiss, a slight blush covering her cheek.

Kim pulled back to get a good look at Ron. He had a black eye that was just beginning to heal. His open shirt revealed a chest covered with cuts and bruised. But right now she didn't care. He was standing there with his arms around her. That was all that mattered. Kim stepped back and composed herself then turned to Captain Mankey.

"Ron, this is Captain Mankey. He helped arrange to get you released."

Ron snuck a glance at Kim when she introduced him to the Captain. Her eyes told him all he wanted to know. What were the chances of something like this happening?

Captain Mankey stepped forward. "Mr. Stoppable, it is a pleasure to meet you. Kim has told me quite a bit about you."

Captain Sommers turned to Captain Mankey. "Well, Sir, I release this young man into your care and this young lady's care. Although I can tell she is _more_ than willing to take care of him _herself_."

The men in the room laughed as the blush on Kim's face turned a little deeper. Ron touched her cheek with his hand. She closed her eyes and brought her hand to cover his, pressing his hand against her cheek.

Captain Sommers shook Ron's hand. "I wish to thank you for helping the other prisoners fight off the Raiders. We arrested the whole group after the raid last night. The other prisoners will be putting them on trial. You did good. We could use _more_ fighting men like you."

Ron shook his head. "Sorry, Captain. Right now, I've got someone else to take care of." He turned and cupped Kim's chin to give her another light kiss.

Kim and Ron mounted the stairs to one of the guard posts on the outside of the stockade walls. This was the post nearest the Regulator's camp. Ron had been given a chance to clean up and was wearing a new set of clothes. He helped Kim to the top of the stairs and then to the stockade wall. Looking down upon the camp, he spotted Captain Renfrow, placed his fingers into his mouth and gave a shrill whistle. Renfrow jerked around and looked up, a smile splitting his face. He bent down and yelled into the shelter. Men came spilling out, looking up at the wall.

Renfrow heard the whistle and jerked to look up. There on the wall was Ron, dressed up and in the company of a very pretty young lady, her red hair cascading down her back. Renfrow knew this had to be the Kim that Ron had spoken of. Sergeant Grimes came out of the shelter to look up at the couple. He too smiled and waved at Ron and the young lady standing at his side. The men Ron had entered the stockade with and the men of the Regulators began to cheer and wave.

Kim turned to look at her BFBF. Somehow, he had connected with these men, been accepted into to their group and considered to be a man. While he was getting dressed, Captain Wirz and Captain Sommers had related to Kim and Captain Mankey the story of the Raiders and the Regulators. They also told them the story of what Ron had done, beginning with the first fight where he had taken down five grown men. Captain Wirz said the Raiders had considered Ron to be so dangerous to them that they had tried to kill him. Later, Ron had fought off the Raiders when he had been removed from the stockade. The men in the camp owed Ron a great debt. The Raiders were no longer a threat and Ron had a hand in their downfall.

The chanting of Ron's name caused her to look back into the crowd of men. She realized they were cheering Ron. Ron waved back at the men and smiled. Kim smiled as well as she slid the hat off the back of her head and sailed it down into the mass of men. The hat landed in the hands of Captain Renfrow. Kim turned and pulled Ron toward her, placed her arms around his neck and proceeded to give him a kiss that nearly curled his toes. Catcalls, whistles and hooting erupted from the men of the Regulator camp. The couple gave a final wave and descended the steps.

Jean and Dean Stoppable sat in Mr. Possible's office. Ann paced the floor, looking out into the lab every few minutes. They were expecting an update from Kim. The last communication came as a shock to the parents. Ron had been captured and imprisoned in Andersonville Prison. Books on the prison had been spread out on the desk. Mrs. Stoppable had only read a short time when she came upon a picture of an emaciated prisoner, read what conditions were like and could read no more. Mr. Stoppable had written a paper in school on Andersonville, so he was familiar with what his son could be facing. They knew that Kim had permission to get Ron released and was on the way to do so.

Both sets of parents were finding it increasingly difficult to explain the continued absence of their children. Kim and Ron had missed a couple of cheer practices. Mr. Barkin was doing all he could to keep a lid on what was happening but there was only so much he could do. A reporter somehow found out about their disappearance, called the house a couple of times and even showed up on their front steps asking questions. Dr. Director had set up a news conference mentioning that Team Possible was on an extended mission and could not be reached at that time. The word was out: Team Possible had disappeared.

James opened the door to his office and entered. He closed the door behind him as he held a paper in his hand. Looking up at his wife and the Stoppables, a smile spread out across his face. "We just received a message from Kim. She's got him. He's okay. He's a little bruised up but nothing more than he has had before."

The Stoppables relaxed and leaned into a hug. Ann and James joined them. The four parents stood together for a moment. For now, their children would be okay. They were back together, and as long as they were together, there was little they could not do.

Shego retreated into the shadows of the trees, watching the Possible home. She had found out that no one had seen Kim or Ron in over a week. Global Justice had a press release out that the two were on an extended mission, but there were no updates. She had checked in with Killigan, Fist and the others; no one was running an operation and none had seen anything of the two teens. Shego slipped from the trees and climbed into her rental car. The green jumpsuit she normally wore had been traded in for jeans and a sweatshirt. The last time Kim and Ron had been seen was heading for the Space Center. That would be her next stop.

Kim's hand was nestled in Ron's as they watched the countryside pass by the windows of the train. Ron had not been able to see much out of the cattle car on his ride to Andersonville, and then all he _really_ saw was the inside of the stockade. Kim snuggled a little closer to Ron and nestled her head onto his shoulder. She had not gotten a lot of sleep the night before. Most of her time had been taken up getting packed and ready. Afterward, she was too excited to sleep. Jason was worried she would jump out one of the windows, grab the nearest horse and gallop off to get Ron. Kim had smiled to herself. If she'd known how to _get_ to the prison site, she just might have _done_ that. Now they were back together, and just simply having her head on his shoulders was enough. She had excused herself earlier and taken the opportunity to send a message back to the Space Center, reporting that she had been able to get Ron released and they were both okay.

Ron was thinking about the men he left behind in the prison. Those men had befriended him and protected him. Sure, it seemed like trouble followed him everywhere they went. But he felt good that he had been able to help his friends. He had been told by one of the guards that the trial of the Raiders would start the next day. Ron had given his testimony to a lawyer there in town. Those papers were turned over Captain Wirz to be used in the trial. Now here they were, side by side, Kim's hand in his and her head on her favorite place on his shoulder. They soon would be pulling into town. Kim told him that two of the house servants, Jason and Della, would be there to pick them up and take them to the house where Kim had been staying.

With a belch of smoke and steam, the train pulled into the station. Ron stood up and helped Kim to stand. Other passengers around them were also getting up. Ron ushered Kim in front of him and they exited the train. As they descended to the platform, they noticed that there were twice as many people waiting to get on the train as were getting off. Many of the people getting on carried heavy bags or cases with them. Kim eyed Ron for a moment and he just shrugged. Ron retrieved Kim's bag from the porter and they walked out onto the street.

"Miss Kim! Miss Kim!"

Kim turned to see Della and Jason waving from a carriage on the street. Jason jumped down and ambled over. He took off his hat and bowed to Kim.

"It's good to see you back, Miss Kim. I see your mission was successful."

Kim smiled at him. "Yes, Jason. Thankfully, it was." Kim turned to Ron..

"Ron, this is my friend Jason." Ron extended his hand in greeting to the manservant, catching the man somewhat off guard. The genuine smile on Ron's face showed he was very sincere and grateful to Jason for watching over Kim. A huge smile spread across Jason's face, and he gripped Ron's hand, shaking it enthusiastically.

Jason's face split into a wide grin. "Well, sir, it t'was Della and I's pleasure. It has been many a year since a young lady as pretty as Miss Kim walked the halls of the Doctor's home."

Kim blushed slightly. "Jason, why are so many people leaving?"

Jason's grin disappeared. "Well, Miss Kim, the talk is the Yankee Army is coming, so a lot of people are leaving. But it'll be alright. There's talk that President Davis will replace General Johnston with General Hood. Right now, let's get you two to the Doctor's home. He has planned a little dinner party for tonight."

Jason took Kim's bag and put it in the carrier on the rear of the carriage. Ron took Kim's hand and assisted her into the carriage, then joined her. Kim had to gather her dress together so that Ron could take the seat beside her. Jason climbed onto the driver's seat and with a whistle and the crack of a whip they started off.

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Bonnie turned her car down the street toward Kim's house. She was planning to have a face-to-face confrontation with "that red-headed witch". Kim and Ron had missed two major practices and there was no word if they would even be in school the next day. Bonnie didn't believe the news briefs very much. Sure, they might have been on a mission, but they never lasted this long. She was going to find out what was happening. Bonnie pulled into the Possible driveway. The first thing she noticed was that both of Kim's parents' cars were gone. That was really odd for a Sunday. Bonnie got out of her car and went up to the front door. She knocked and then rang the doorbell. There was no answer.

Bonnie turned and went around the side of the house. She pulled open the gate to the fence and walked around to the rear of the Possible's home. The grass in the backyard had not been cut in sometime. Bonnie went to the back door and knocked. When there was no answer, she pressed her face against the door window and looked inside. The interior of the Possible home was dark. No movements could be seen. She was about to turn back when she felt the presence of someone behind her. Her hand grabbed the mace stick out of her purse as she spun around. A tall, dark-skinned man in a one-piece jumpsuit stood there, one arm outstretched toward her. His other hand pressed something on the outstretched wrist, causing two wires to spring from the watch on his wrist and hit her, followed immediately by an electric shock.

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Shego crept through the trees near the Space Center. All her information had shown this was the last place that Kim and Ron had been seen. Something else was strange. The operations of the Center had changed. The entire facility had gone into lockdown on the day that Kim and Ron had disappeared and then the lockdown had been lifted for everything except for one section of the Center. That part of the Center just happened to be headed up by one person: Dr. James Timothy Possible. Shego did not believe in coincidences. Maybe the news media were a bunch of idiots for not digging up the information, but Shego had her own sources. Kim and Ron had entered the Center on Friday afternoon. Later that afternoon, there had been an incident in one of the labs: a huge power spike and for some reason a small EMP had radiated from the same lab.

Shego had also found out the Kim's mom, who rarely set foot in the Space Center, had been spending a lot of time there. Then there were Ron's parents. For some reason, they had been given Priority Clearance to enter the Center and they too had been spending a great deal of time there. So many things were adding up: the news conferences citing some vague mission; Kim and Ron not showing up for important school functions; the odd movements of their parents; and the activities of the Space Center. They all pointed to one thing: something had happened to the two teens, and there was a massive cover up right up the ladder to Global Justice.

Shego vaulted over the trees and disappeared into the shadows of the buildings. The increased security was no problem for her. She climbed the side of the building and moved across the roof toward the area of the center where Dr. Possible's lab was located. She was going to get to the bottom of this.

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Kim was waiting in the foyer of the Doctor's home. They had arrived at the home earlier in the day. Jason had taken Ron to a room where the Doctor was waiting. His examination showed nothing more than some cuts and bruises. The Doctor had ordered sleep for both of them. Kim was exhausted and Ron was no better. Now it was dinner time and the other party guests were waiting. She was waiting for Ron to come down. Jason and Della had raided some of the clothes chests of the Doctor's children and a couple of friends. They were able to locate a nice dinner outfit for Ron as well as some clothes for a few days. Kim had secretly obtained some pants and a couple of regular shirts. If they had to make run for it for any reason she was not going to do it wearing a corset and hoopskirt. Kim heard the clump of footsteps on the stairs above her. She turned to see Ron standing on the landing of the stairway, wearing a black dinner jacket with grey pants. Under the coat he wore a white shirt and light grey vest. A dark blue bow tie completed the outfit.

Ron stood on the landing of the stairs looking down at Kim. She was standing in the foyer looking up at him. She was dressed in a light blue satin gown almost the same color of her Prom Night gown. He descended the steps and stood in front of her. A light blush rose on her cheeks as he stood before her. Kim raised her hand and placed it on his chest as if to test that he was really there. Ron stood to the side and presented his arm. She placed her arm through his and they walked into the dining room.

As they entered, the other male guests stood. Ron's eyes surveyed the room. The large windows were open to admit the breeze. The late June sun was slowly setting over the trees lining the street. The Doctor escorted the two teens to their seats. Ron held Kim's chair as she took her seat, then seated himself. The Doctor nodded to Jason and the servants began to serve dinner.

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Bonnie opened her eyes. She was sitting with her hands cuffed to the arms of the chair. She looked around to see the dark-haired man who had hit her with some stun device.

"Why, you little….", she snarled.

"Miss Rockwaller, I would be careful about speaking at this moment. I am Agent Will Du of Global Justice. You were caught trespassing on the Possible's property. As of right now, that property is considered to be a High Security Area and entering it without permission could be considered a federal offence." The man placed a file on the table in front of them. Bonnie saw her name on it. The man opened the file. She could see that it contained several photos of her at various times.

Will began to speak. "Bonnie Elizabeth Rockwaller; sisters Lonnie Lorainne Rockwaller and Connie Cassandra Rockwaller; father Richard William Rockwaller; mother Lori Barnes Rockwaller. You are a student at Middleton High School, where you are a senior. You are a member of the Varsity Cheerleading Squad as well as the Yearbook and Newspaper staffs. Your grades are above average. You weigh…."

Bonnie groaned. "Okay, so you know everything about me. Point made. _Why_?"

Will looked at Bonnie as he closed the file. "Miss Rockwaller, we have files on everyone who has contact with Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable. Especially those who might wish to do them harm."

Bonnie's eyes grew wide. "I was just trying to find out where K and the loser went. They…"

"You mean Miss Possible and Mr. Stoppable. Miss Rockwaller, I may not like Kim or Ron very much, and I am not impressed by them but their abilities have been proven again and again. Now apparently your being on the Possible property was nothing more than continuation of your vendetta against the two of them. I will tell you Miss Rockwaller, as of now that will _stop_. You will be released. You will go home and keep your mouth _shut_. This is not just an everyday mission they are on but a matter of _national_ and _international_ security. If you ever attempt any more contact with Miss Possible or Mr. Stoppable, we will take matters in our own hands. Do I make myself clear?"

Bonnie could only nod. What would happen to her she did _not_ want to find out.

Will stood. "That's good. Now, you will be released. We will be _watching_ you. Go home, keep your nose clean and out of our business and everything will be fine."

Two agents came in and unlocked her hands. A blindfold was placed over her eyes and she was walked through a series of turns. She heard the hiss of a door. She was pushed forward until her hands pressed against what seemed to be a curved plastic wall. She heard the hiss of the door behind her. Her stomach felt like it had hit her feet when whatever she was in headed up like an elevator. She screamed as she fell to the floor. Then her ride ended. She could hear birds and felt a slight breeze. She hesitantly removed the blindfold. She was sitting on a sidewalk in a grove of trees near the Possible home. She stood up. Her car had been parked in the street just a few feet from her. She patted her pocket. Her keys were there. Bonnie walked over to her car and noticed it was locked and her purse was sitting on the passenger seat. She got in and drove home. It was a little difficult, as she was shaking so bad.

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Shego stopped in the shadow of an air vent. The security was greater than she had expected. Getting close to the labs where Dr. Possible was located was out of the question. Shego waited until one of the guards walked past. A quick chop across the neck and she collapsed to the roof. Shego counted her luck that it was a female guard. She pulled the guard into the shadows and changed into her clothes. Shego took the pass card from the guard's pocket and opened one of the doors to the roof. She then descended into the center.

Shego opened the door to the hall. She glanced up and down the hall and saw no one. Quickly she stepped up the hall and found an office she could enter. She pulled a disk that Drakken had given her from her pocket and slipped it into the disk drive of the computer. It was a hacking disk. It should easily defeat the security measures since she was already in a secured area. She started to type and read. A smile slowly spread across her face. This was too good. The Princess and the Buffoon were lost in time because Daddy's big experiment went haywire. Shego typed in another command to get more information when the lights came on in the room.

"FREEZE!" yelled a guard.

"SO LONG, SUCKERS!" Shego fired up her plasma and blasted a hole in the roof. She jumped through the hole and landed on the flying surfboard that she had called to her position. She sailed off into the sky, blowing a kiss to the guards.

The guard who had investigated why someone had logged onto the system in that office pushed the button on his radio.

"Control, we have a problem."

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Kim watched Ron as he finished his dinner. He ate like he had not eaten in all the time he had been gone. She didn't mind. They were back together now. Kim turned to speak to Captain Mankey when a boom was heard in the distance. All the guests became quiet. Then with a tearing sound the shell of the cannon ripped into a house up the street and exploded. Soon the sounds of more cannon being fired were heard. Shell started to rain down on the town. The guests poured out onto the veranda when a soldier galloped up on a horse. Captain Mankey jumped to the ground and met him.

"Captain, SIR! The General's compliments. The army is pulling out and the Yankees are starting to shell the town. All inhabitants are ordered to leave the best way that they can." The soldier saluted and galloped off. Captain Mankey ran to his horse and mounted it. The horse reared as he turned to the assembled guests. "I would advise you all to leave immediately by the best possible way." He gained control of his horse and galloped off.

The guests ran to their carriages and with whistles and screams hurried off. Kim and Ron ran back inside. "Ron, I'm going to change and get some clothes to together. I'd advise you to do the same. We'll need to be able to move a lot easier than we can in these clothes."

"Gotcha, KP!" Ron yelled as he followed her up the stairs.

The Doctor yelled to Jason as he headed up the stairs. "Get both wagons hooked up and out front. Get the barest needs together. I'll be back down in a minute."

Minutes later Ron was helping Jason load the two small wagons with food and blankets. The other servants were getting into the first wagon. Kim came out wearing a shirt and pants. Boots covered her feet and her hair was pulled back into a ponytail. She tossed a bag to Ron, who put it in the wagon. The Doctor came out and climbed into the first wagon with Jason.

"Miss Possible. Mr. Stoppable. Do either of you know how to handle a team?"

Kim jumped into the seat and gathered up the reigns. Ron stumbled up into the seat beside her. "KP, you've never driven a team of horses before!"

Kim smiled at him. "OH, NO? Check my name!" Kim let out a shrill whistle and cracked the reigns against the backs of the horses. Ron screamed as the wagon jerked forward. He fell backwards head over heels into the wagon. Kim stood up, whistling and cracking the whip she had found. The wagon team was soon running down the street right behind the Doctor's wagon.

The two wagons careened through the burning town. Shells continued to fall on the town. Ron finally was able to get back in the seat next to Kim. She was seated back in the seat of the wagon, bracing herself in as she guided the horses down the smoky streets. They felt the strange stirrings in their heads and stomachs. They had just the time to look at each other when the spinning feeling enveloped them.

Della turned to check on Kim and Ron. Just as the wagon emerged from some smoke Della swore she saw a flash of light. Then a shell made a direct hit on the wagon. It disappeared in a blast of smoke and fire. Della screamed. The Doctor pulled their wagon to a stop as the two uninjured horses of Kim and Ron's team ran past. The Doctor, Jason and Della stared back in horror at the smoking ruin of the destroyed wagon and the two lives that had been on it. Another shell landed nearby. The Doctor whistled and cracked the whip, starting his team off again. Della's tear stained face watched as the shattered burning wagon disappeared in the smoke.

Kim and Ron held onto each other as the now familiar feeling of traveling through the time vortex overcame them. They didn't know where or when they would land. They just hoped it would be peaceful. The shock of cold water enveloped them. They separated and struggled to the surface, the salty taste of the water bitter in their mouths.

"The ocean again? Man, this tanks!" Ron groaned as he treaded water. The water was fairly rough and they had a hard time seeing.

"Ron! Look over there!" Kim pointed off in the distance. Land could be seen. The two of them wordlessly started to swim. Minute after minute passed as they fought the waves and the cold. Soon they felt sand beneath their feet. They struggled through the pounding surf and crawled up on the beach. Ron rolled over on his back and Kim laid her head on his chest. They were too tired to move any more.

Kim heard voices and felt herself being rolled over.

"Are you two okay?"

Kim opened her eyes to see two men kneeling over her and Ron. Kim nodded slightly.

One of the men smiled. "Well, we are Orville and Wilbur Wright. You are lucky we decided to take a walk on this part of the beach. Let's get the two of you dry and warmed up."

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Kim and Ron are safe. Now they are in a different time and place. The place is the Outer Banks of North Carolina. They have been found by the Wright brothers. The time is near for the first powered airplane flight.

Shego knows what is going on now. You can bet she will try something.

It is a point of history that the Regulators with the assistance of the guards did stop the Raiders. A number of the Raiders were later hung after a trail was held. There was a made for TV movie called "Andersonville". It is a fairly accurate representation of what occurred at the camp.

The towns north of Atlanta, including Marietta were taken as the Confederate Army retreated to take positions around Atlanta. The Union Army shelled the town before entering. Most of the towns were heavily damaged.

Thanks to my two beta readers, you are awesome guys.

As always Kim and the gang are owned by the Disney Company. I own this fiction.


	8. Chapter 8 First Flight I

Tunnel Vision Chapter Eight

First Flight part 1

By Captainkodak1

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Sunday, December 13, 1903

Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina

Hearing voices, Ron looked up. Two men were bending over them. The first man placed one arm under Kim's knees and the other around her back and effortlessly hoisted her into the air. The other man bent down and presented his hand to Ron, who took it and, with his assistance, stood up. The second man then placed Ron's arm around his shoulder and helped him to stand. The two men were about the same height being taller than either Kim or Ron. The first had a deeply receding hairline and was clean-shaven. The second man had dark hair similar to the first but sported a mustache. He also had a receding hairline but not a bad as the first.

"I'm Orville. That's Wilbur. We'll get the two of you to our camp just over the dunes here. Then we'll send for help. The Kill Devil lifesaving station is just up the beach."

Kim squirmed for a moment until Wilbur put her down. "Thanks, but I can walk."

"You _sure_?" Wilbur asked. Kim nodded and took a couple of wobbling steps. Wilbur had to grab her before she fell.

"Okay, maybe I need a _little_ help."

Kim gripped Wilbur's arm as he led all of them up off the beach and into the dunes. In the distance were what appeared to be a barn and a shack. Kim and Ron remembered pictures from their books. This was the place where powered airplane flight was born.

Ron glanced over to Orville. "What is today's date?"

"Today? Today is December 13th", Orville answered.

Ron nodded and glanced at Kim. They both remembered the year that he had set in his list: 1903. They had arrived just days before the historic flight.

They kept walking through the sand until they reached the shack. Kim and Ron noticed the camp was a simple tarpaper shack, with a large barn-like structure beside it. Orville and Wilbur led the two teens inside the shack and let them sit down in a couple of chairs. Kim looked around the small shack as she sat down. The interior was Spartan but clean. Along one wall was what appeared to be a kitchen area. Pot and pans hung from a series of hooks under the shelves. The shelves were full of canned goods and staples such as flour and sugar. Wilbur put a kettle on a stove that stood against one wall. Orville climbed a ladder at the back of the shack and pulled two blankets off the beds in the

roof area. He wrapped the two teens in the blankets and headed out the door.

"Wilbur, I'm going to set the flag up. We need to let the station at Nags Head know about these two. They may want to take a look and see if anyone else is out there."

The sound of a horse and wagon came from the north. Wilbur looked around the side of the shack and came back to the door. "It's Mr. Etheridge of the Life Saving Station with his family. I'll let him know."

A large man entered the cabin and knelt before the two teens. "You two okay? What are your names and what was your ship?"

Kim pulled the blanket closer around her. "I'm Kim Possible. That's my boyfriend, Ron Stoppable. We really don't remember what the name of the ship was."

Rob shivered a little. "We were in a rush to get a ride south out of Norfolk and we just jumped on the first ship that was available. It was a small cargo vessel heading south. We paid the Captain for our ride after we boarded. We found out later that the ship was in pretty bad shape and it was a mistake to get on board."

Etheridge nodded. He knew this was a common practice for people to pay passage on small ships. He also knew the ships that did this the most were the older ones, some not in good shape. They would do anything to make a buck, even take on passengers when they were not equipped to take passengers or if they should.

"Well, what happened? There was no storm." He asked.

Ron took the cup of tea that Wilbur offered him. "Everything was fine until last night. Kim and I went out on deck for a little bit. We really didn't know what happened but one of the crew yelled something about a wave."

Ron stopped to sip his tea. Kim shivered a little under her blanket as she accepted a cup from Wilbur. "Next thing Ron and I knew, a big wave crashed down on the ship. It washed us overboard. When we surfaced and looked around the ship was gone."

Kim stopped for a moment. Ron gave his empty cup to Orville. "We saw a light and started swimming toward it using some of the wreckage. When the sun came up we saw land. I don't know how long we lay on the beach."

Etheridge nodded and turned to a young boy who had just entered.

"Davy, unhook the horse and ride back to the station. Tell Daniels a ship went down last night and we have two survivors. He needs to get men out on the beach and someone up in the tower to see if they can spot anything."

The boy turned and ran out the door. A lady came in and started to look over the two teens. "I'm Mrs. Etheridge. Let's see if the two of you are hurt. Then we'll get you to the station to warm you up. Our son will be back in just a few minutes with some help."

Mr. Etheridge stood and faced the two brothers. "I was bringing my family to see the machine and it looks like I walked into some work."

Wilbur put his hand on Etheridge's shoulder. "Get these two taken care of and come back. We'd be _happy_ to show your family the machine."

The sound of a couple of horses arriving outside came to Kim and Ron's ears. Two burly men came to the door. "Mr. Etheridge, Daniels is in the tower. He can't see a _thing_. There _is_ some debris on the beach but we can't tell where it's from. These the two survivors?"

Mrs. Etheridge stood. "Yes, Williams, help me get these two in the wagon. David, hitch the horse back up so he can pull us back to the station."

One of the men stepped over and helped Kim to her feet. Ron stepped up to her side and took her hand. Kim leaned over and laid her head on his shoulder. Williams stood back with a smile and motioned Kim and Ron towards the door. The two teens stepped out of the building and saw a wagon pulled up to the side of the shack. Williams and the other man helped them climb up into the wagon, and then Williams climbed up into the seat at the front of the wagon and slapped the horse's back with the reins. The horse pulled off and started up the beach. As they looked back, they could see the two brothers guiding the family around the shack to the building standing beside it.

The horse pulled the wagon along a trail in the sand and soon they approached a small group of wood frame buildings. The biggest was a tall two almost three story building. A covered porch circled the first floor and a cupola stood high above the main roof line. Kim and Ron could see a number of people on the porch. A large barn stood next to the main building. The doors of the barn were open and the two teens could see what appeared to be a life boat on a cart sitting out front of the barn. Beside it stood another cart loaded with equipment.

The wagon jerked to a stop in front of the building and a number of men came down the steps. A couple of them came to the end of the wagon and helped Kim and Ron down. Mrs. Etheridge climbed down off the wagon and headed up the steps.

"Mike. Greg. Fix a bed up for the young lady in the children's room. Set the young man up a bed in the dorm. Get them some dry clothes out of the larder and let them get a bath. The girl can use our bath and the young man the main men's bath. After they get a bath and get changed, I should have a good hot meal ready. Then they can get some sleep."

One of the men nodded. "Yes, ma'am. Now, little lady, you come with me. Young man, you go with this other feller."

Kim slid down off the wagon and followed the first man up the steps. He led her into a small bath at the end of the hall. Just before she entered Ron walked past heading up a set of stair. Kim stopped and grabbed him by the arm. He smiled and bent down for a quick kiss. Kim smiled as she laid her head on his shoulder for a moment and then lifted her head to look at him.

"See you in a little bit, okay?"

Ron nodded. "Yeah. Okay."

Kim turned and entered the bath, closing the door. She could hear the thumping of Ron's feet as he climbed the stairs to the second floor. She saw a tub of water had already been drawn. She pealed off her wet clothes and settled down into the lukewarm water. She sighed as she grabbed a bar of soap and started to wash. She dunked her head back under the water to wash the salt out of her hair. After her bath, she got dressed in a light cotton dress that Mrs. Etheridge had brought to her. She was barefoot for now. It was relatively warm even for it to be December, but she had heard that weather along the coast of North Carolina could be warm one day and freezing the next.

Kim opened the door and walked down the hall where she heard voices. The smell of bacon and eggs came from an open door. She entered the room to see that it was the kitchen. Ron was sitting at the table with a plate full of bacon, eggs and toast. A pitcher of milk sat on the table in front of him. Kim sat down and gave his hand a squeeze. Mrs. Etheridge nodded at Kim as she sat down.

"You have a seat, little lady. Ron here has already eaten enough for the two of you, so if you want anything, you best dig in."

Kim dished some bacon, eggs and toast onto her plate. She started to eat and soon added more. The eggs were fluffy and warm; the bacon was crisp and delicious. Before she realized it, she had eaten eight pieces of bacon, three eggs and four pieces of toast. She washed all that down with three glasses of milk. She and Ron sat back as they let the meal settle. Ron tried to keep his eyes open but with the meal, bath and all that had happened to them, he was fighting sleep. Kim realized that she was nodding off, too. She closed her eyes just for a second.

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Mr. Possible took the note from the security guard. The alarms had startled them when they had gone off. Now he turned to face his staff, Anne and the Stoppables.

"It was Shego. She was here. She knows."

Those three simple statements brought horrified expressions to the faces of all present.

"She broke in somehow and got access to one of the computers. From what security could tell, she knows about the project, the accident and that Kim and Ron are out there in time. It's only a matter of time before she and Drakken try something. They don't have to do much. Any disruption in the signal and we could lose Kim and Ron forever."

Mr. Possible crumpled up the note and threw it to the floor. He stepped over and took a seat. One of his assistants brought him another piece of paper. He read it and smiled a bit. Anne came up behind him and placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Is that their new location and time?" she asked.

He nodded and passed the paper to her. She read it. The date was December 12, 1903. The location was some place called Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. She tried to think of the significance of the date but came up blank. She handed the paper to Mr. Stoppable. Jean came over and looked over her husband's shoulder. She took the piece of paper and glanced at it. She glanced over at Mr. Possible and waved the paper.

"Is this where they are?"

Mr. Possible nodded.

Jean sighed and smiled.

"Well, at least they're in a peaceful place."

Mr. Possible looked up.

"Do you know what that date and place is?"

Jean nodded. "It's the site and date of the first powered airplane flight. Remember the Wright brothers? _Finally_, they have landed somewhere where it's _peaceful_. If they have to survive for awhile at least they could where they are now. Ron was really interested in this and read a lot about the area and the Wright Brothers."

Ann sighed and sat down. "At least they finally caught a break."

Mr. Possible looked up. "But it doesn't change the fact that Shego will be coming back here to do her worst."

Wade's face popped up on a screen. "Dr. Possible, I have set up a new system to track Shego. If she gets near here we'll be ready for her. Dr. Director has already sent over additional security forces, plus she's sent some equipment that might be able to help give more power to our signal. I also have an idea. I'll need to research the families of Dr. Drakken, Shego and all the other villains and then send the data to Kim and Ron."

Anne looked at Wade. "What good would _that_ do them?" Anne's faced changed when she thought about it. "I think I get the idea."

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Kim opened her eyes to see the sun shining through a window. She sat up and found she was in a bed in a room with a couple of other beds. Toys and children's clothing lay scattered about. She remembered what Mrs. Etheridge had said earlier and assumed someone had picked her up and put her to bed. Kim pulled the covers off and put on the shoes that lay beside the bed. She noticed the clothes she had on were stacked neatly on the floor under her bed. She opened the door to the bedroom and followed the sound of voices down the hall and out the front door. The sun was setting in the west. The sky glowed red on the scattered clouds in the sky. A cool breeze was coming off the ocean.

"KP!"

Kim jerked around at the sound of Ron's voice. He was sitting in a rocking chair on the porch. He walked over and took her in his arms. She hugged him tightly as she nestled her face into his neck. Her thoughts went to their sitch. For the first time since dropping into the time warp they were in a place where they didn't have to fear for their lives. They would be present she hoped for one of the most memorable moments in history.

"Well, I see you two are getting reacquainted."

Kim looked up to see Mrs. Etheridge standing there. Kim blushed a little and pulled away from Ron but still held his hand.

Mrs. Etheridge smiled. "Don't you worry, I don't mind. The two of you have had quite a fright. My husband sent out a message that a ship had gone down. We are waiting to see if a ship comes up overdue. It happens all the time here. Ships have been known just to disappear out there. It's almost suppertime. Do you think you two could give me a hand in the kitchen?"

Kim stirred a little but Ron squeezed her hand. "Sure, we owe you a lot. The least we could do is work a little to repay you. That is, until we can get passage out of here to our destination."

Mr. Etheridge came up on the porch. "Well, it might be a few days until we can get you passage out of here but you're welcome to stay. Besides, the Wright brothers might get their contraption in the air. _That_ would be a sight to see. They were asking how you were doing. Maybe you could go over there tomorrow and visit them."

Kim and Ron followed Mrs. Etheridge into the kitchen. Ron went straight to the stove and helped cook while Kim set the table and helped serve the meal. Later, the two teens took a walk out on the porch. The oil lamps inside gave a faint warm glow as they sat on the steps facing the beach. The surf roared and crashed in the distance as they sat side by side. Kim pulled out the Kimmunicator while Ron kept watch. Kim quickly composed a message and transmitted it back to the center. She then called up the messages that had been received.

"Ron, they have trouble back at the center", Kim said as she read. Ron leaned over to read the screen with Kim. Kim felt for his hand as they came to the part where Wade explained what had happened with Shego. The message explained what they were doing to protect the center but also added information that would help the two of them build an identity if they were trapped in their present place in time. Kim shut off the Kimmunicator and just leaned against Ron.

"Well, I can think of worse fates than being stuck here with you for the rest of our lives", Kim whispered.

"Gee, thanks a _lot_, KP."

Startled, Kim tried to look at Ron in the darkness. She could not see him well but that Ronshine grin glowed in the dark. She punched him in the shoulder. "You know what I _mean_." She cuddled closer to him in the coolness of the night. "If I had to be trapped in time with someone, I'd want it to be you."

"KP, what if it _does_ happen? What will we _do_?"

Kim pulled Ron's arm around her shoulder. "I guess live the best we could. We have an advantage over everyone. We know history. If we're careful, we could make a good life. We know when certain events would occur and use that knowledge to our advantage."

Ron kissed the top of her head. "As long as I have you, KP, I can live anywhere anytime."

Kim turned her head up to give him a little kiss. "Back at you, Ron. But right now I'm really tired, so let's get some sleep and see what tomorrow brings."

The two teens stood up and entered the house. Kim went to her room and Ron climbed the stairs to the room where the men of the station slept.

Shego walked into the main lab of Drakken's latest lair. He was working on his latest weapon to take over the world. The Mega Ray-X was built along the lines of the destroyed Ray-X, only this Ray-X _gave_ you a cold instead of _curing_ it.

"_Think _of it, Shego. I can give everyone in the world a cold unless they surrender to _me_."

Shego went up on knocked on his head with her knuckles. "Knock, knock! Anybody there? Remember who always stops you? Remember why I left?"

"Oh, yes, Kim Possible. Well, if she comes, I'll give her a cold that she'll _never_ forget."

Shego groaned. "Doctor D, _sit down_, NOW!"

Drakken promptly sat on the floor.

Shego slapped her head with her hand but at least she had his attention. "Okay, remember when we realized that Kimmie had not shown up? I went to check some things out. I found out they _had_ truly disappeared. No one and I mean _no_ one has seen them for _days_. Now Global Justice is saying they are on a mission. Well, I checked with Killigan, Monkeyface and the others. No one is running an operation and no one has seen the Princess or that dopey sidekick of hers. So I went and checked things out in Middleton. It seems that Kimmie and Ron were visiting the center the other day and there was an accident. No one has seen them since."

Drakken started to grin. "You mean…."

Shego shook her head. "No, they're not hurt or anything, but when you were in school, did Possible ever talk of a time travel theory?"

Drakken thought for a moment. "Why, yes, he thought that using the power of a black hole and some other theories that he could…." Drakken's eyes popped open as he stared back at Shego.

She nodded with an evil smile. "UH-HUH, and something went wrong. Kim and Ron were in the lab and got sucked into some time tunnel thing. Right now from what I could find out they are lost in some time stream. We have the _perfect_ opportunity to get rid of the Princess and sidekick for _good_. All we have to do is cause enough trouble at the center to break up the time stream. Then they'll be stuck in time _forever_."

Drakken stood up rubbing his hands together. "What are we _waiting_ for? Let's go!"

Shego put out her hand and pushed him back down.

"Hold your horses, Doc. We've got to _plan_ this thing first, then we'll make sure the Princess and the buffoon _never_ make it back."

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Monday, December 14, 1903

Kill Devil Hills Lifesaving Station.

Kim placed some of the dishes in the cupboard. She was helping Mrs. Etheridge clean up from breakfast. Kim had put on her jeans and a clean shirt along with Ron after they had gotten up that morning. Ron was outside helping the men of the station check the lifesaving gear. Earlier the two of them had climbed the stairs up to the tower over the station. They were impressed by the view as they could see for miles out over the ocean.

Mrs. Etheridge wiped her hands on a towel and turned to Kim.

"Well, young lady, you _are_ a big help in the kitchen, least as long as you stay away from the _stove_. I hope you can wash clothes as well."

Kim smiled, recalling that her total experience with washing clothes was separating the whites from the darks and tossing them in the washing machine. She doubted there was a washing machine anywhere around. Her fears were confirmed when Mrs. Etheridge pulled a large metal tub from a closet along with a washboard. They took the basin out on the porch and set it on a table. Mrs. Etheridge handed Kim a bucket and pointed to a water pump. "Go ahead and fill the basin up and you can wash this first load."

Ron had painted before but now he had the entire side of the porch to paint. After breakfast, he had joined the men of the station in unpacking and repacking the equipment on the cart and in the lifeboat. Ron was especially curious about the Lyle gun, which was a small cannon that could fire a small cannonball with a thin rope attached out to a ship in peril. The men showed Ron how a rope could be pulled out to the ship with equipment tied to it. A heavier rope could be set up and a chair could be wheeled along the rope, transporting people to the shore. They also showed Ron how they would row the boat out into the surf to help people out of range of the Lyle gun. Stories were told of rowing for hours in sleet and rain to go to the assistance of a sinking or stranded ship. Ron dipped his brush in the bucket again and slapped a heavy coat of paint on the sun-bleached wood. His arms and face were splattered with spots of paint and he was sure there was some in his hair as well. He knew that Kim was washing clothes but had not seen her. Ron heard footsteps come to the edge of the porch and looked up.

Kim's legs and arms were sore by the time she had carried enough water from the pump to fill the tub. Mrs. Etheridge had shown her how to place the washboard in the water and use the bar of soap. Kim always prided herself as a quick learner but this was something that was _not_ on the top of her list to learn. She had finished one pile and rinsed them out. Mrs. Etheridge came by and picked up the freshly washed clothes to hang out to dry. She looked down in the water.

"Dump that over the rail and put some fresh water in. Then you should be able to finish the other pile."

Kim blew aside a loose strand of hair hanging in her face. She looked down at her hands. They were shriveled by exposure to the water and harsh soap. First she had learned about washing dishes and cleaning rooms on the Titanic. Now, she was learning more about laundry. She wondered how her mother _did_ it all. She would really appreciate it when her clean clothes were found clean and folded on her bed. Her nails were white and soft. Luckily, she always wore her nails short. She didn't need to take the chance of breaking a nail in a fight. She picked up the tub by the handles and took it to the side of the porch. She balanced the tub on the rail and dumped it over.

A gurgling "HEY!" came from below. She dropped the tub to the porch and looked down over the rail. Ron was standing up from the crouch he had been in while painting the porch. His hair was plastered down around his eyes, a paint brush hanging from his hand. Kim started to giggle; apparently he had looked up just in time to see the tub tipping over the edge of the porch.

"_Very_ funny, KP. Ha, ha. It _is_ to laugh", quipped Ron.

Kim covered her mouth so he wouldn't see her smile. "I'm so sorry, Ron. I didn't know you were there."

"Yeah, okay." Ron shook his head to get the water out and went back to painting. Kim took the tub back to the table. She noticed the bar of soap was getting small so she went back in the house to the closet to see if there was another bar. She spotted an extra bar on one shelf and grabbed it. Kim turned back to head for the porch when she heard water being poured into the tub. She noticed another stack of clothes by the door so she stopped to pick them up. She walked back out the door and placed the clothes down on the porch next to the table. She noticed that the tub was about half full, so someone had been filling it while she had been in the house. A slight cough caused her to turn around. There stood a still wet Ron with a large bucket in his hands and a grin on his face.

Kim started to back up and waved a finger at him. "RONALD DEAN STOPPABLE! Don't you even _think_ about it!"

Ron continued to grin as he took a step forward. He lifted the bucket with one hand and placed his other on its bottom.

Kim backed up a little faster. "Ron! Don't you _dare_!"

He took another step toward her and shifted the bucket to his side.

"RON!" Kim screeched as she turned and ran. She made the turn around the porch and headed down the steps when the contents of the bucket hit her in the back of the head and down her back.

"Ron!" Kim turned to see her BFBF standing there with a smug look on his face and holding an empty bucket.

"Just you _wait_!" Kim mumbled as she mounted the steps back to her wash.

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The two teens were helping clean up from lunch. Both had clean and dry clothes on. To apologize for dumping water on him, Kim had helped Ron scrub off the paint stuck to his face and arms. He whined that she was taking some skin with it but the small kisses she placed on each scrubbed part quickly silenced any complaints. The station crew had gone back outside when Mr. Etheridge came in.

"The Wrights have their signal up that they need our help. I thought the two of you might like to walk over with us to thank them and to see the machine. I think they're going to run a test on it today."

Kim and Ron smiled broadly and nodded.

"YES, SIR! We'd _love_ to go!"

Soon Kim and Ron were walking up to the Wright's Camp. The machine was sitting out in the sun. The two teens instantly recognized the craft. They both remembered seeing it in the Smithsonian. But here and now, they were looking at the real thing, before it ever flew. Orville walked over to them.

"Well, it's good to see the two of you looking better."

Ron shook his hand. "Thank you, Mr. Wright. We're both feeling better; at least dryer."

Kim stepped up to Ron's side. "We've heard of your machine from the men at the station. Are you going to try and fly today?"

Orville nodded. "The weather conditions are right. Come over here and I'll show you the machine."

Kim and Ron approached the craft as it sat in the sand. There were two wings, one over the other. The wings were made of wood and covered in cloth. A small motor sat on the lower wing and chains led from the motor to two large propellers on the rear of the craft. There were two small wings in front and two vertical vanes in the rear. Orville stepped inside the struts and motioned the two teens over. He climbed onto the lower wings and settled into a spot where his hips were in a cradle on the lower wing and one of his hands was on a stick in front of him.

"We lay here and fly the craft by using these controls. When we shift our hips, it will turn left or right." Orville shifted his hips to the left and the teens saw the rudder in the rear turn and also the wing tips shift.

"When we want to go up and down, we move this stick forward or backward." When Orville shifted the stick the two vanes in front shifted up and down.

Wilbur walked up as he cleaned his hands with a cloth.

"Well, well, if it's not our two intrepid swimmers. I'm glad to see that you are well. Orville, are you ready?"

Orville climbed out of the machine. "Yes, let's get the machine up the hill and mounted on the track."

The men of the station gathered around the craft and picked it up. They started to carry it up a nearby sand dune. Ron helped the men as Kim carried a box of equipment. They reached a spot on the hill where a number of two-by-four boards had been laid on edge in the sand. The men and Ron set the craft down so the runners were on the track. Orville connected a rope to the rear of the craft to keep it from rolling off. Then he leaned over and adjusted the motor while Wilbur pulled on one of the propellers and the motor started with a loud blast.

Orville made some additional adjustments to the motor and soon it was idling as the propellers spun. Wilbur pulled a coin from his pocket and flipped it in the air. Orville said something that only the two of them could hear because of the engine running. Wilbur smiled, climbed on and settled himself in the pilot spot. The men stepped back and Orville took a spot on the right of the machine. Wilbur increased the speed of the engine and attempted to release the rope holding back the craft.

Orville waved for a number of the men to push the craft back. As they did the rope came off. Orville waved the men clear as Wilbur gunned the engine. The craft started forward with a jump and Orville was barely able to stay with the machine. It slid down the rail, gaining speed with every second. Orville let go and soon it rose into the air just feet short of the end of the rail. It abruptly turned up and rose to a height of about 15 feet. It quickly lost speed, the left wing tilting down as the craft lost height. The wing hit the ground and the machine swung around, the front skids dug into the sand and one broke and twisted back, breaking the main strut and brace. One of the spars holding the front wing also broke. Wilbur turned off the motor and got off the craft. The two brothers gathered in front of the craft as Kim, Ron and the men from the station joined them.

Wilbur turned to the men. "Let's get it back to camp so we can fix it."

Orville glanced up at Kim and Ron. "Sorry that you really didn't get to see anything. It's going to take a day or so to fix, but we'll be ready again by day after tomorrow. "

Kim stood and watched as the men picked up the machine and carried it back toward the camp. "Ron and I are glad no one was hurt, Mr. Wright."

Orville scratched the back of his neck. "It wasn't too bad of a landing. It'll be easy to fix, though. Why don't you come back tomorrow and watch if you want. I'm sure the Etheridge's wouldn't mind."

Kim and Ron smiled. "That sounds _great_. As soon as we finish our work, we'll be over." The two teens helped the men pick up the equipment and carry it and the craft back to camp. The sun was getting low over the dunes as they walked back to the Wright brothers' camp.

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I hope that everyone is enjoying this somewhat calmer sitch that Kim and Ron are in. I thought they deserved a little break. They are in the midst of a significant achievement in the advancement of manned flight.

This is my home state and I have had the opportunity to visit the site of the first powered airplane flight. I hope that some of you some day will have the same chance. I have also had the opportunity to stay in the building known formerly as the Kill Devil Lifesaving Station. My description comes from that experience. Kim and Ron will get the chance to have a little fun at a place called Jockey's Ridge. This is a huge sand dune that at one time was the highest dune on the east coast. It is quite a lot of fun to climb up and even more fun to jump off of. Course you get covered in sand but that half the fun.

There were lifesaving stations all along the North Carolina coast. These stations had men ready to go to the rescue of vessels in distress. Most of the time survivors were taken back to the stations for medical treatment, food, clothing and rest. These men and stations were the forerunners of the U.S. Coast Guard. Sometimes the rescued persons would stay at the stations until they had recovered and they were able to travel.

Most of my research came from the internet and a couple of books from the library.

As always, I want to thank rancherod and rufusforever for their awesome help in research and betareading.


	9. Chapter 9 First Flight II

Tunnel Vision  
Chapter 9  
First Flight part II  
By Captainkodak1

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Tuesday, December 15, 1903  
Kill Devil Hills Lifesaving Station

Ron rolled over in his cot and tried to bury his head under his pillow. The sun was just coming up over the horizon, its light streaming into the room he shared with the other men of the station. He had always been a deep sleeper but being in this room with several other men who snored louder than Bonnie or Kim put together made that task rather difficult. He had learned to deal with Kim's snoring heading back from missions. All he had to do was roll her over or reach up and just close her mouth.

Ron and the rest of the squad had learned about Bonnie's snoring on bus trips or at Cheer Camp. Tara caught a cold the last time at Cheer Camp; she told Ron later that she had to choose between attempting to sleep in the same room as Kim and Bonnie and catching a cold by sleeping outside the cabin on the porch. She chose to catch the cold and get some sleep. Another reason Ron was so sleepy was that he had to stay up and use the Kimmunicator to upload their situation and download what information that Wade needed to send them. Kim had given him the device because she did not feel like she would have the opportunity to use it in the children's room where she was staying. The men were now slowly waking up and moving around. He tried to bury himself deeper under the covers when they were suddenly jerked away.

"HEY!" Ron yelled as the cool air of the morning hit him.

The big man Ron had come to know as Davis stood there with Ron's covers in his hands.

"Time to get up there, Ronnie boy. We got work to do. We need to test fire the gun and run some drills today and you might as well join in."

Ron reached over to snatch back his covers. "Would it matter if I said I'd rather not? I might feel a cold coming on." Ron replaced his covers and attempted to get comfortable again.

"Well, Ronnie-boy, that's fine, too. Those who don't help with the drill get painting duty. A little cold might keep you from drill but it won't hurt you to paint."

Ron's eyes popped open as he leaped out of bed and started to get dressed quickly.

"You know, dragging that cannon up and down the beach sounds kinda fun. When do we start?"

Davis chuckled a bit. "Let's all get breakfast and we'll pull the cart out. I think Missus Etheridge might want your help in the kitchen. Plus, I think you might want to spend a little time with Kim."

The rest of the crew laughed as they filed past Ron. Some patted Ron on the back as they walked past him to head down the stairs. Ron tried to finish getting dressed. He silently wished that the men knew their own strength. He was sure that the friendly pats on the back would leave bruises.

Mrs. Etheridge called from the kitchen. "Ron, I could use your help down here"

Ron finished tying his boots and clumped down the stairs to the kitchen.

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Kim looked around as she sat up in her bed and slowly stretched. The Etheridge children were already up and getting dressed for the day. Kim was staying in the girl's room. The son had his own room down the hall. Kim felt under her cot for her clothes and pulled on a pair of jeans. Then she slipped a shirt under the larger nightshirt she wore. After dressing under the nightshirt, she stepped over to a mirror and stuck out her tongue at the reflected image. Her mane of auburn hair was sticking out all over the place. Kim retrieved a brush from under her cot, and began to brush her hair as she sat at the mirror.

"You have pretty hair."

Kim turned to see the Etheridge's youngest daughter Linda standing there, watching. She looked to be about seven years old.

"Thank you, Linda. I like it, too."

Kim pulled her hair back into a ponytail and sighed. She did not have a thing to tie it back with. She released her hair and it fell back into place. Linda ran to her dresser and pulled open a drawer. She reached in, pulled out a white ribbon and ran back to Kim.

"Here. Use this to put your hair in a ponytail. It'll be pretty."

Kim shook her head. "I couldn't take such a pretty ribbon from you."

Kim smiled as Linda produced a pout that made her own puppy dog pout pale in comparison. "O-k-a-y, I'll wear it."

Linda's face broke into a big smile as she motioned for Kim to turn around. She brushed Kim's hair as she gathered it together into a ponytail and tied it with the ribbon. She finished it off in a nice white bow that settled just at the back of Kim's head. Kim smiled as she turned her head from side to side, admiring the Linda's handiwork.

"Thank you, Linda. I have to show it to Ron."

Linda covered her mouth as she giggled. Kim turned and gave the little girl a wink.

Kim heard Mrs. Etheridge call from the kitchen. "Ron, I need your help down here."

Kim walked over to her bed and sat down. Reaching under the bed, she found the boots that had been given to her. She slipped them on and tied them tight. Standing, she turned, flipping up the covers on her bed to least make it look neat. Making a final inspection in the mirror, she ran her hand through her hair and ran her tongue over her lips. Satisfied, she turned and headed for the kitchen. She hoped that the two of them would get the chance to read what Wade had sent.

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Sand, sand and more sand. He had sand in his hair, sand in his shoes, and sand down his shirt, but it was the sand in his pants that was the most uncomfortable. Ron nicknamed the shovel in his hand the "Lotus Pain". His job that morning for the drill was to pile sand up when the rescue cart had stopped. The pile of sand was used as a base for the Lyle gun. Sometimes he had to build a pile of sand several feet high. Then his job was to get the powder charge from the cart and hand it to the man on the crew who was loading the gun. He winced again as Etheridge blew the whistle.

The team of horses pulled the rescue cart down the beach with the men running along side, the deep sand pulling at their boots. The trip continued down the beach for a couple of hundred yards when Etheridge blew his whistle again. The team came to a stop and the men started pulling the equipment from the cart. Ron grabbed the "Lotus Pain" and headed for where Etheridge was standing.

"Two feet high, two feet wide, Ron", he ordered.

The "Lotus Pain" dug into the sand again and Ron started to pile the sand up in the spot that had been indicated. As he dug, the men of the crew continued to set up the rest of the equipment. Just as he finished piling the sand, Davis and Richards came up with the Lyle gun. They tamped down the pile of sand and emplaced the cannon on top of it. Two others from the crew pulled the line box over and laid it in front of the gun. Davis took the end of the cord and tied it to a small cannon ball. Ron put his shovel up, reached into the powder box, and pulled out a single charge. He trotted over to where Davis stood and handed him the bag of powder. Davis slipped the charge down the barrel and Richards rammed it down, then, placing the ball with the cord attached in the muzzle, he rammed it home as well. The rest of the crew stood back as Etheridge knelt behind the gun and fired it. The cannon ball with the line attached sailed out over the ocean breakers and splashed into the sea.

Etheridge stood and judged the distance the shot had traveled. Then he looked around at all the equipment that was laid out ready to be set up and used. He pulled out his watch and checked the time.

"Well done. That's a new record for setting up and getting shot off. Let's get everything cleaned up and head back to the station." Ron turned with the men and started to return the equipment to the equipment cart. He had just finished helping Richards put the now-empty cord carrier on the cart when Davis tapped him on the shoulder. Ron turned to see what he wanted when Davis pointed to the top of the sand dunes. Kim was sitting bareback on one of the station's horses, watching them. Her auburn mane fluttered in the wind, the white bow holding the hair in the ponytail. Etheridge nodded to Ron. "Go ahead. We'll take it from here."

Kim smiled as Ron headed up the sand toward her. He was a little dirty, but she was a little proud of him. She had watched him work with the lifesaving crew in their drill. He did his job as if he had been a part of the team for years. Ron walked up to her, brushing the sand out of his hair.

"What's up, KP?"

Kim patted a bag hanging across the horse's back. "Mrs. Etheridge fixed us a little lunch and some extra to take over to the Wright brothers. Get some of that sand off of you and then we'll ride over to see what Orville and Wilbur are up to."

Ron shook his hair, spraying sand everywhere. Opening his shirt, he shook it hard to remove most of the sand. Slipping his shirt completely off, he shook it out then used it to slap the sand off his back. Donning his shirt again, he approached the horse and Kim. She reached down with her hand and pulled him up. Ron tried to get his leg over, but ended up taking a dive over the horse, his face planted in the sand. Kim groaned then giggled as Ron stood, brushing the sand from his face. Kim held out her hand again and didn't pull as hard this time. Ron settled down on the horse's back and placed his hands on Kim's hips. She nudged the horse's side with her feet and they started across the barren area toward the Wright brother's cabin and the barn where they kept the machine.

Ron moved his arms up around Kim's waist and gave her a fierce hug. She leaned back against him and sighed. Ron placed his chin on her shoulder.

"Did you get to read the info after I slipped you the Kimmunicator?"

"Yeah, Mrs. Etheridge asked me to check on some of the chickens that had wandered off. I used that time to read it. Did you read it last night?"

Ron nodded against her shoulder. "Yeah, I was afraid that Shego would show up. Who knows if any of the others are going to join in?"

Kim smiled evilly. "Yeah, but I love their plans if something should go wrong."

"But Kim, how would we find them all?" Ron asked.

Kim turned and gave him a peck on the nose, which was about the only part of him not covered in sand. "That's _easy_, Ron. We know _who_ they are and _where_ they are. After _that_, we have _all the time in the world_."

Shego approached the Center through the trees. The sensors had been easy to avoid or disable without raising an alarm. The GJ troops patrolling the woods were good, but she was better. She just wanted to get close enough to disable the power grid to the section of the center where Dr. Possible's lab was located. She jumped over the fence and slipped into the shadows of the building. Even if she was discovered, she was betting she could fight her way into the building and do her deed. A door had been left unguarded but a moment, but in that moment she was in the building. She quietly moved to the intersection of the hall and peered around the corner.

"TWACK!!!"

She spun from the blow that brought stars to her eyes. She ducked instinctively as a rocket sled narrowly missed her head by an inch. She turned to see the two craft turn in formation and dive at her again. She leaped out of the way of the first, but the second caught her in the stomach and flung her against the wall. She bounced off the wall and onto the floor. The craft turned and started to dive for her again as she fired up her plasma. Both craft disintegrated as her plasma balls blew them out of the air.

"Well, Shego. Looks like you are a little _late_."

She twirled around to see Kim and Ron standing at the door she had entered.

"Well, Princess, I'll just _finish_ the job I came to _do_."

Shego leaped at the two teens, who shifted into defensive positions. Shego's face split into an evil smile. This was going to be _so_ easy. Throwing a push straight at Kim's face, Shego's fist passed on through Kim and hit the door face instead, knocking it completely off its hinges. Her shoulder screamed as it hammered against the concrete outside and she rolled to a standing position. Kim and Ron shimmered as they turned to face her.

"HOLOGRAMS?" Shego screamed.

A rope came whirling out of the air and enveloped her. Her feet were yanked out from under her and she fell to the ground.

"Yeeeyaaahh! That'll teach ya to try and mess around with my cousin."

Shego fired up her plasma, burning off the ropes. She leapt to her feet to face the owner of the voice. A young girl with somewhat red hair sat upon a large mechanical horse. Shego memory went back to the time Drakken tried to control those scientists at that ranch. The girl was Kim's cousin and together she had helped Kim defeat them.

Shego fired off a couple of plasma blasts at the girl and her horse. The horse easily dodged both blasts then jumped straight at her. Shego ducked as the robotic horse flew over her to land behind her.

"Ha! You missed!" she snarled over her shoulder.

"Not _yet_ I ain't", replied the girl.

Shego's eyes grew wide as she saw the horse rear up on its front legs and prepared to kick with both rear feet. She had only a second to think. "This will NOT feel good."

James watched on the monitor as Shego escaped into the sky on her flying board. He turned to face Tim and Jim.

"Boys, I'll help you build two more rocket sleds. You did a _good_ job."

"I _second_ that assessment, Dr. Possible. They did an _excellent_ job prohibiting Shego from entering the facility further until the hologram program could be brought online."

James smiled at his nephew Larry. The bespectacled youth had arrived at the Center early with an updated hologram program. He had used it with pictures of Kim and Ron to produce the holograms to deceive Shego.

"Ole Thunder sure sent the green gal packing!" Joss said as she walked into the room. "Though I doubt she'll be sittin' for a few days."

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Drakken rushed from his lab to Shego's room and came out with a couple of large pillows and some clothes. He hurried back to the infirmary as a loud scream preceded a plasma blast. He stopped and waited outside the door.

"Uh, Shego. I, uh, have what you _wanted_."

"GIVE IT!" An arm came out the cracked door to grab the pile of clothing and pillows. The door slammed for a second then reopened. A green and black jumpsuit hit Drakken in the face and fell into his arms.

"Trash that!" ordered Shego as she slammed the door in his face a second time. Drakken let the outfit unfurl in his hands. He noticed two large hoof prints on the lower back of Shego's suit. He thought of the location of the hoof prints and decided that maybe it would be a good time to visit his mother. Shego was not going to be fit for human companionship for the next few days. Maybe even a couple of weeks. He would give all the lair staff time off. He did not want to be responsible for any untimely deaths. Drakken made sure that was plenty of ice in the icemaker, then put out a number of pain killers on the kitchen table. He then turned and pulled out his phone.

"Mother, your little Drewbie is coming to visit for awhile. My assistant? No, no, she won't be coming. I think she will be taking care of two sick friends of hers."  
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Orville's face spilt into a smile as the two teens rode up to the barn. He stood and wiped his hands on a rag he pulled from his pocket.

Kim pulled the horse to a stop and the two teens slipped off..

"Mr. Wright, how are you?" Kim asked as she pulled the knapsack off the horse.

"Hello, Miss Possible. Is that one of Mrs. Etheridge's lunches?"

Kim nodded as she handed one sack to Wilbur. "Yes, Mr. Wright, and please, it's "Kim"."

Wilbur opened the sack and looked in. "Hmm. Fried chicken, potato salad, and some apples. Care to join us for lunch?"

Ron glanced at Kim and nodded. "We would be happy to. How are the repairs to the machine coming?"

Orville pulled a small table from the cabin and set up under the barn. Wilbur set up a couple of boxes to go with the two chairs that were outside. They opened up both sacks and spread the fare on the table. Orville took a seat next to Kim.

"We think all the repairs will be finished by this afternoon. If the wind is right tomorrow, we will try again."

Wilbur bit into a chicken leg and then took a bite of potato salad. "The engine is okay and everything else is in top shape. The repairs are simple, being mainly just some carpentry. So what are you two planning to do today?"

Kim put down her cup of water and wiped her mouth. "Well, Mrs. Etheridge told me of a placed called Jockey's Ridge. She and Mr. Etheridge gave us the rest of today off to explore so I think we'll try and find that."

Wilbur pointed to the south. "Well, that's fairly easy. See that big dune over there? The tallest one. That's Jockey's Ridge. Rumor has it that that pirates of old would take a mule and hang a lantern around its neck then lead it up and down the ridge. Other ships would see the light swaying and think that it is the light of a ship. They would head this direction and wreck on the beach. The pirates would make short work of the crew and take the cargo."

"Do you think you will be able to fly tomorrow?" Ron asked.

Orville sat back in his chair after finishing his meal. "We need about a fifteen to twenty mile per hour wind down the beach to be able to make a flight. If all goes well, we will be able to make an attempt tomorrow afternoon."

Kim stood and gathered up the wax paper their lunch had been wrapped in and put it in the sack she had brought with them. She was about to say something to Ron when a peel of thunder sounded across the sands. The four stepped out from under the barn and looked up. The sky was clear.

"KP, look!" Ron pointed out to sea. Kim covered her eyes to block out the glare of the sun to see a ship about halfway to the horizon. A column of smoke was rising from it. As she lowered her hand, she noticed a flag being raised over the station. Wilbur nodded toward the flag.

"The station is signaling the boat that they have them in sight and are preparing to send out the lifeboat."

Kim and Ron looked at each other and ran for the horse. Kim untied the reins and hopped onto the back of the horse. She held her hand down and pulled Ron up behind her. With a kick of her heels, she urged the horse into a gallop. They soon arrived back at the station and rode straight through to the beach where the station crew was gathered around the surfboat. Ron noticed that Davis lay on the beach holding his leg. Etheridge saw the two teens riding up.

"Ron, we are going to need you. The boat shifted when we got it off the cart and it broke Davis's leg. That put us two men short. With you we will only be one short."

Kim slid off the horse with Ron. "Make that a full crew." She stepped over to put on a cork life vest.

"Miss Possible, I can't allow a ….."

"A girl to row?" Kim asked.

Ron stepped up beside Kim and faced Etheridge. "Mr. Etheridge, I know you have only known us a couple of days but do you trust me?"

Etheridge nodded.

"Then I will tell you that I trust Kim, we have been together for most of our lives and she is better at most stuff than I am. She will more than pull her weight."

Etheridge nodded. "Ok, let's hit the water. Kim. Ron. Take the last two stations near me. The rest will take the other stations."

Kim and Ron climbed into the boat as it was pushed into the water. The others took their places and they began to row. Kim and Ron braced their feet in the bottom of the boat as it hit the waves coming in. The bow of the boat lifted into the air and slammed down on the other side of the breaker. The boat was soon beyond the surf and moving quickly out to sea. Etheridge observed that the two teens in front of him worked in almost perfect unison, setting the cadence strokes for the rest of the crew.

Kim winced at the pain in her hands. They had been rowing for a couple of hours now. The long oar was growing heavy in her hands and she knew there were a couple of blisters already forming. A glance over at Ron's face confirmed that he most likely had the same problem, but the two of them maintained the stroke set by Etheridge. The scent of smoke in the air hinted that they were approaching the burning ship.

"Hold stroke!" ordered Etheridge and the crew ceased rowing. Kim turned around to see a two-masted ship with smoke pouring from the middle. The crew appeared to be gathered at the bow and was waving at the surfboat. Etheridge guided the boat toward the bow and pulled along side. Kim could feel the heat of the flames and the smoke stung her eyes. The crew of the ship scrambled over the side of the burning ship and climbed down into the surf boat. The captain joined the crew and turned to Etheridge.

"My wife and daughter are trapped in our cabin at the stern. The flames prevented us from reaching them."

"Back oars!" Etheridge yelled. Kim, Ron and the crew put their oars back in the water and backed away from the burning ship. A rumbling blast rained bits of burning wood into the boat. Muffled screams were heard from the rear of the ship.

"Resume stroke!" Etheridge yelled as he put the rudder over and turned the surfboat toward the end of the burning and now sinking ship. They pulled on their oars a couple of times to reach the rear of the ship. However, the ship was sinking by the bow and the stern was rising high. A small window on the rear opened and a woman shouted out.

"The door is jammed! We can't get out!"

The crew of the boat looked up. The windows were too small for anyone to climb out and the deck was out of reach. Another explosion rained burning embers down on them.

Kim looked up and gauged the distance to the railing.

"Ron, remember the pyramid back home?"

Ron nodded and stood up facing Kim.

Etheridge watched from his seat as Kim called out to Ron. "Fastball time, Ronnie! Give me some Monkeyshine!"

"Just what are you two…." he started to ask.

Before he could finish Ron cupped his hands together and knelt down, his eyes glowing slightly blue behind closed lids. Kim jumped up and landed in his cupped hands in a crouch. Ron leapt and lifted with his hands at the same time. Kim felt herself being lifted. She sprang from Ron's hands and soared into the air.

The crew of the surfboat watched in amazement as Ron tossed Kim into the air and she used the boost of her legs to lift herself up. She performed a flip and sailed over the ship railing to land on the deck. She jumped down to the main deck to discover the door jammed because of the explosions. Burning pieces of wood littered the deck, while piece of rigging fell to the deck. The ship twisted and groaned as it struggled to remain afloat. Kim turned and ran back to the rail.

"RON! Oar lift!"

Ron grabbed a oar and lifted it up to Kim. She grabbed it and pulled Ron up as he scampered up the oar to grab her hand. Kim pulled him to the deck and they both jumped to the main deck. Kim pointed to the cabin door. Ron closed his eyes and stretched out his hand. The Lotus Blade appeared and then changed into the shape of a battle axe. Ron set his feet and swung.. The first blow shattered one hinge and the second broke the other hinge. A kick from Kim broke the lock. The two teens joined hands and with a combined kick broke the door in. The Captain's wife came out the door holding a small child. Without a word, Kim led the mother and child to the rear of the deck. Finding a rope, she tied it around them while Ron grabbed the other end of the rope and passed it around a railing. Kim and Ron together lowered the mother and child to the surfboat.

The crew took the rope off the Captain's family and settled them into the boat. Etheridge called out.

"Kim! Ron! Come on, jump! We will pick you up! Back away oars!"

The surfboat pulled away from the burning ship as Kim and Ron climbed to the railing. Together they dove from the ship into the sea. Surfacing at the same time, they swam to the surfboat, where Etheridge and the crew pulled them in. Etheridge wrapped blankets around their shoulders as Kim and Ron took their stations. Their teeth were chattering from the swim they had taken. Swimming in the ocean in the summer was one thing, but swimming in the ocean in the winter was decidedly uncomfortable. They shivered in their wet clothes as they grabbed their oars and settled into their seats..

"Pull away oars!" Etheridge ordered. Kim and Ron dug their oars into the water and set a fast pace away from the burning ship.  
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Gene Stoppable rocked back and forth in a chair that had been set up in Dr. Possible's office. This room had been headquarters for the parents. A cot had been brought in so that a number of the parents could stay at the lab at all times. All four of them were there now, silently eating lunch. So far, the one update they had received had been from Ron and it was good. Both he and Kim were doing well. The peacefulness of the situation had given them a chance to finally get some rest. All of them jerked around when they heard the beeping of Wade's monitor.

Wade's face appeared on the screen, a brilliant smile on his face. "You will _never_ believe what I just found. I had a couple of friends digging around for information on the Wright Brothers and anything on the area for that time. She uploaded me a picture that I think you should see. She found it in the archives of a photographer that lived in the area."

Dr. Possible's printer beeped and a picture slid out. Gene picked up the picture from the printer tray and looked at it. The other parents watched as his jaw set and a tear appeared on his cheek. He stepped over and laid the picture on the table. Anne gasped as her hand covered her mouth. A smile spread across Mr. Possible's face. Jean Stoppable stood and wrapped her arms around her husband's neck. On the table lay a copy of an old picture. At the bottom was written. "Crew of the Kill Devil Hills crew after successful rescue of crew from burning ship. December 15, 1903". The picture was of a group of people standing in front of one of the old-style lifeboats. On the far right of the group were two people who appeared to be younger than the rest of the crew. It was Kim and Ron. They both appeared to be in jeans and denim or cotton shirts and had blankets around their shoulders. Kim's hair was pulled back in a damp ponytail while Ron's hair was plastered to his face. The two teens appeared to have been drenched at one time but were smiling for the camera as they stood arm in arm.

The parents stood together looking at the picture. Even in the sitch of their lives their children were continuing their work saving the world, even if it was only in their one small part of it.

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Kim sat at the kitchen table with Ron, trying to drink some tea with her bandaged hands. She pulled the blanket tighter around her. Ron was snuggled down in his blanket. They were just now getting warm again. After they had arrived back on the beach, the survivors of the ship had been sent to the Nags Head Station for care. A local photographer had taken a picture of the crew after they had beached the surfboat. Mrs. Etheridge had taken Kim and Ron under her care. After allowing them to clean up and in dry clothes, she had put iodine on the popped blisters that populated both teens' hands. After that, she bandaged their hands and fixed them a snack.

Mr. Etheridge came in and sat at the table, watching the two teens.

"I have no idea exactly _where_ you two are from or _what_ you do. However, what I saw today was one of the most _amazing_ things in my _life_. I want to thank you two for the job you did today."

Kim laid her head over on Ron's shoulder. "No big, Mr. Etheridge. Ron and I were just glad we could help."

Etheridge smiled. "Captain Raines said his wife and daughter were fine. The crew wanted me to tell both of you "Thank you". Now, why don't you two take it easy the next couple of days? I think you deserve it. Then we will see about getting you two on your way."

Etheridge stood and patted them both on the shoulder in turn. Ron stood and pulled out Kim's chair for her to stand. Kim took his hand as they walked out the door, the blankets draped over their shoulders. The full moon was rising over the ocean as they walked onto the porch of the station. Ron lifted his arm and blanket putting it over her shoulders. Kim placed her arm around his waist sharing her blanket and laid her head over on his shoulder. They stood there listening to the surf break in the distance. Each thought that somehow here is where they could make a life for themselves. Maybe they could not save the world, but they could save lives. They stepped off the porch and walked down to the beach. Ron laid his blanket down on the sand and sat down while Kim settled in his lap. She wrapped the blanket around both of them as she snuggled into his arms. Together they held each other and watched the reflection of the moon as it shimmered on the surf.

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Greetings my friends. Thanks for coming by for another chapter of Tunnel Vision. I hope that you enjoyed this last chapter. The "rescue" was similar to many that were accomplished during those years by the heroic men who manned the Lifesaving stations.

The Wright Flyer had been damaged in the failed flight and the brothers spent the entire day making repairs. The day of the historic flight is coming; Kim and Ron will be there.

Shego got a surprise when she tried to attack the Center this time. Next time she be better prepared.

The project I was supposed to start this week was delayed. I hope to get at least another chapter of Tunnel up before I have to start. I may even have a one shot up by then.

Thanks for reading and please leave a review if you like. I would appreciate it.

This is the Captain  
Right hand salute  
Over and out.


	10. Chapter 10 First Flight III

Tunnel Vision chapter 10

First flight III

* * *

December 16, 1903

The salty breeze ruffled Ron's hair as he stood on the porch of the station, watching the men put the surfboat back into the boathouse. They had spent most of the morning cleaning the boat, making certain everything in the equipment cart was ready. Ron had offered to join in but was surprised when the other men offered to take over his duty. That night he found that his cot had been moved from the corner to be in line with the other men. Instead of some of the older blankets, he had new softer ones. He saw his old blankets on some of the other men's cots. He and Kim had sat on the beach for a couple of hours just looking out over the water, the burning hulk of the ship slowly disappearing into the deep.

The porch creaked behind him and two arms encircled his waist. A soft cheek laid itself on his shoulder as Kim gave him a purr of contentment. Her bandaged hands clasped in front of him. Their hands had stiffened overnight as the blisters healed. Ron turned around, wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into his embrace. Kim placed her head on his shoulder and sighed happily. The Etheridge's daughter had taken over Kim's cot so that she could sleep in a regular bed. That morning, instead her serving the men of the station and having to wait until the men finished eating, she was invited to eat with the men.

"Want to ride over to see what the Wright brothers are doing, KP?"

Kim nodded against Ron's chest. "Yeah, Mr. Etheridge said they may try and fly today if the wind was right."

She pulled back and stared at him. Even though they had only been on this coast for two days, the sun had already started to tan his skin, his freckles turning a little darker. Here they were, lost in time, and they were already saving lives just like when they were back in Middleton. She had spent a little time on the Kimmunicator the night before sending a message back to the Space Center. Wade had sent word about the picture. Kim and Ron were unsure about being in the picture but the photographer had been one of the residents of the area and not a professional. Also, Mr. Etheridge had insisted that they be in the picture since they had played such an important part. They hoped that somehow it would all work out.

Kim looked around and then stood on her toes to give Ron a kiss on the tip of his nose. A little giggle told her they had an audience. The two blushing teens turned to see a pair of eyes peering at them through the railings of the porch.

"LINDA!" yelled Kim.

The child ran off around the house giggling, as Kim and Ron chased after her. Linda hid in some of the bushes as they ran by and then ran back the other direction. Hearing her jump out of the bushes laughing, Ron turned and ran after Linda while Kim continued to run around the house. Linda looked back to see Ron still behind her but closing fast. She turned and looked straight ahead, only to see a smiling Kim with her arms open wide, waiting for her. Linda ran right into Kim's arms. Kim scooped up the child and spun her in the air, laughing.

"Got you, you little sneak!"

Linda squealed with delight as Kim tickled her and then set her down. Ron picked up Linda and lifted her high in the air. Linda started to laugh again as Ron held her above him. Ron tossed her in the air and spun her around, then settled her down on his shoulders for a piggyback ride. Making sounds like a horse, he started to gallop around the yard.

When Ron stopped to catch his breath, Kim took Linda down off his shoulders. Kim gave Linda a little hug and tickle, then whispered in her ear. "Now I want my boyfriend back. You go find your own." Linda ran off and into the house. Kim turned back to face Ron. His arms slid around her slim waist and pulled her to him. Her hands lay on his chest. She glanced at him with lowered eyes and protruding lower lip.

Ron covered his eyes. "ARGHHHH! The puppy dog pout! Where did _that_ come from?"

Kim played with his shirt. "Well, _Linda_ just got a piggyback ride and now _I_ want one."

Ron looked down at Kim. "A _piggyback_ ride? But Kim, you weigh…." Ron's brain engaged emergency mouth shutdown.

Kim glowered at him. "I weigh _what_?"

Ron swallowed and attempted to get his brain to work. His mouth had gotten him into this; hopefully it could get him out. "You have _way_ too much on your mind!"

Kim gave Ron a confused look. "Wha…?"

Ron started to giggle at her confusion until she joined him. She punched him slightly on the arm. "Nice _save_, but I _still_ want my piggyback ride."

Ron turned around and knelt down so Kim could climb on his back. She placed her arms around his neck as he held her legs. He stood with a groan.

Kim squeezed with her legs. "Just what was _that_ groan?"

"Just you _might_ want to consider smaller _desserts_ for awhile", Ron mumbled.

"_What_?" Kim began to say when Ron started to run across the yard. She couldn't speak as she was bounced up and down plus he was tickling her as he carried her. As he reached the steps of the Station house he turned and set her down. She stood laughing for a moment as he regained his breath.

Mrs. Etheridge called from inside. "Kim! Ron! Why don't you grab some lunch and then ride over to see the Wrights."

Kim took Ron's hand and they stepped inside the station.

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Shego waddled down the hall of the empty lair. Drakken had skipped out and given the rest of the staff leave. She had the whole place to herself. It was probably for the best. She might have hurt someone otherwise. Dr. Drakken had given her a special pillow for her to sit on, but it did not help much for now. She ate standing up and slept on her stomach. Baths were a luxury she partook of several times a day. The warm water was soothing to a certain part of her body.

Standing at the communications console, she hit several switches and then waited for an answer. Monkey Fist appeared on one screen and Killigan the other.

Monkey Fist grinned. "Okay, Shego. I got you message. I even called Drew to see what was going on. He told me that you were having trouble with some of your 'assets'."

"Aye!" Killigan added. "I heard that you had some trouble, no ifs, ands or butt."

Shego's eyes flamed green. "_Listen_, you _idiots_. If you read the message, then you _know_ why I'm calling. We have a chance to get rid of the princess and the buffoon _once and for all_. It's going to take all of us working together to do it, though."

Killigan's and Monkey Fist's eyes darkened as Fiske spoke. "Killigan and I have already discussed the matter and we are "in". As soon as you recover, we will be ready to move."

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Wilbur glanced up from the machine to see Kim and Ron arriving on one of the station's horses. He had heard about the rescue the day before and noted both of them still had their hands bandaged. He had just finished laying the last piece of rail of the takeoff track. The track had been set up on some level ground near the cabin.

"Good afternoon, you two! We heard that you had some _excitement_ yesterday."

Ron looked at his bandaged hands. "Oh, yeah, it was a _lot_ of fun."

Kim took Ron's arm as they stepped up to the machine. "Are you going to try and fly today?"

Orville came out from behind the rear of the machine. "Well, we just finished the repairs and got it out here on the level. We wanted to see if the wind would start up and give us good flying conditions. Right now the wind is too low. Besides, we won't be ready to fly for a couple of hours yet. Why don't you two head over to Jockey's Ridge? I think you'll like the view."

Ron glanced over at Kim as she nodded. "Okay, but if the wind starts up, we'll be back."

Orville nodded. "That's no problem. We'll put up the signal if and when we're ready."

Ron stepped back a couple of steps, pulling Kim with him. "Okay. We'll see you later."

Returning to the horse standing nearby nibbling at some grass, Ron winced, put his hands together and gave Kim a boost onto the horse's back. Kim reached out with her hand and leaned the opposite direction as she pulled him up behind her. A grimace crossed her face as he tightly gripped her hand. She shook her hand after he released it.

"Ron, remind me to get a pair of gloves next time we row that boat."

Ron took her hand and gave it a light kiss. "I already have two pair under my cot."

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The large dune grew taller and taller as they got closer and closer to the mound of sand. Kim and Ron could not believe that something that size out of the Middle East could be in the United States. Tying the horse off at the base of the dune, they started to climb. The sand at times seemed to suck their feet down; other times the sand was hard as concrete. The soft breeze off of the ocean kept them cool as they continued to climb. They had crossed one lower peak and now closed in on the tallest part. The final slope was steep and made of soft sand. They would take three steps and slide back one. The deep sand slowly made its way down into their boots and they had to put out their hands at times to keep their balance. The top ridge appeared to be frozen in place as they trudged up the front slope. They took a short break and then finished their final climb. At last, they topped the ridge and, breathing heavily, stood and looked around. The view took their breath away. They could see for miles up and down the coast.

Kim turned to look out to sea. The beach stretched out in both directions, the white sand disappearing into the blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean. She could see a number of sailing ships plying their trade moving up and down the coast. The breeze took her hair and played it around her shoulders. She turned to join Ron looking inland out over the Albemarle Sound. Kim was surprised to see that the Sound was larger than she imagined. Small boats crossed back and forth on the water. Just on the horizon she thought she could see the mainland of North Carolina. Two arms caressed her waist as Ron put his arms around her. She leaned back into his chest and placed her hands over his. They stood for a moment, just watching out over the land.

Kim broke the embrace and walked toward the other end of the ridge. She was about to turn around to call Ron when….

"Yiiipppeeeeee!!!"

She spun around to see Ron leap off the ridge over the slope on the other side. He sailed out over the ridge and landed several feet down the slope. His feet hit the sand and he flipped head over heels into the sand. He stopped after a couple of flips and stood up laughing.

"Ron, what do you think you're _doing_?"

Ron climbed back up to the ridge, shaking the sand from his hair. "Ahh, KP, it's a blast! Just leap out and land!" He turned and jumped again. "Yipppeeee!" This time he landed standing up and just leaned back into the sand. Ron climbed back up to where Kim stood, her arms crossed. One look at her face told him she was _not_ amused. He took a step toward her, only to meet her outstretched hand.

"Don't even _think_ about it. You're covered head to toe with sand. No hugs; no touchy!"

"Awww, KP. Can't a guy have a little fun?" He took another step toward her with his arms open.

Kim took a few steps back. "Ron, I'm telling you: stay _away_!"

Ron started to reach for her. "Uh, KP, I'm not… KP! LOOK OUT!"

"EEEEEPPP!" Kim took one more step back and found nothing but air as she stepped off the ridge. Kim reached out for Ron's hands but they missed by mere inches. Kim tried to flip backwards but could not gain her footing. She hit the sand slope with her butt and then her head. Her arms went out to stop or slow her fall but the slope was too steep. She flipped two more times before she came to a stop. Sitting up on the slope, she tried to get the sand off her lap only to have sand spill down her neck and into her shirt. Sand was in her hair, down her shirt, in her shoes and in her pants.

Ron slid to a stop next to her. "KP, are you okay?"

Kim glared at Ron. "NO, RON! I'm _not_ okay! I have sand in my shirt and sand in my hair! I am _so_ not okay!"

Ron quelled a bit from her and Kim started the giggle. "I _also_ have sand somewhere _else_ that I am _so_ not telling you."

Ron's eyebrows went up at Kim's smile. He stood, took her hand and pulled her to her feet. They climbed back up to the ridge and started down.

Ron pointed in the distance and they could see the Wright Brother's camp. "KP, look."

Kim's eyes settled on the two buildings in the distance. Although she could not recognize figures at this distance, she could see the machine being slowly carried back into the barn.

"We need to get down there as fast as we can. Come _on_, Ron! Look!"

Kim pointed to the remains of two pieces of wood. Pulling them from the sand, she discovered they were two boards about a foot wide and three feet long. She tossed one board to Ron and dropped the other to the sand.

Ron watched as Kim put one foot on the board and glanced down the steep sand slope. "KP, _what_ are you doing?"

"Oh, come _on_, Ron. We've been snowboarding before and this will be just like that. Last one to the bottom owes the other a soda!" Kim pushed off and started down the slope just as if she was heading down a slope of snow.

"They don't _have_ sodas around here!" Ron yelled after her. He dropped the board to the sand and put his right foot on it. He held his breath and pushed off. "I have the feeling I'm going to regret this."

Kim skimmed to a stop at the bottom of the slope. She knew that whenever they got to where they could get a soda that she would owe Ron one. Of course, he cheated. He did not board down the slope as she did. No, he had to _fall_ down the slope. He had been doing good keeping pace with her when he fell and ended up tumbling down the sand slope head over heels. He was there waiting for her at the bottom.

"What took you so long?" he asked with a smile.

"_Real_ funny, Ron. Are you okay?" She asked.

Ron shrugged. "Hey! The _Ron Factor_ is _not_ a _non-factor_."

A small voice interrupted them. "Wow! That looks like _fun_! Can _we_ try?"

They turned to see two small boys in straw hats and overalls looking wide-eyed at them.

Kim handed the board to the boy nearest her. "Sure. Just shift your weight back and forth with your feet to steer. And be _careful_."

"Oh, we watched you. I think I know what to do." The first boy grabbed Kim's board and started to climb the dune. Ron handed his board to the other boy who then followed the first. They watched as the two boys climbed up the dune part of the way then hopped on the boards and slid back down.

"Hey, KP. We may have _started_ something."

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Etheridge turned to see Kim and Ron riding up to the machine's barn. He nodded to them as they came up to the group of men. Kim pulled the horse to a stop and the two teens slid off the horse's back. Etheridge noticed they were covered with sand from head to foot.

"Looks to me that you two had some _fun_ up on the ridge."

Kim laughed, nudging Ron. "Yes, sir. The view up there was wonderful. I sort of took a misstep and fell." She turned to the two Wright brothers. "You aren't going to try and fly today?"

Wilbur shook his head. "No, the wind isn't strong enough. I think tomorrow will be better. We'll set up the flag when we're ready."

Etheridge stepped out of the barn. "Why don't you two head on back to the station and get cleaned up for supper. It might take a little bit of time to get all that sand off you. I think the vacation is over and you two can go back to your jobs. I know Mrs. Etheridge would love to have someone to help clean up the kitchen. Now both of you scoot! Oh, by the way, I heard a ship would be coming through the area tomorrow and leaving tomorrow night. If you want, they might take you on your way."

"Yes, sir", the two teens answered.

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December 17, 1903

Kim and Ron rode in the back of the wagon with the crew of the station. The day had dawned bright and clear with a strong wind coming from the north straight down the beach. Ron had spotted the flag flying, summoning help from the station.

Kim and Ron stood up in the back of the wagon as they arrived near the machine. Orville and Wilbur were working around the machine.

Wilbur nodded to the new arrivals. "Good morning! We're not quite ready, so lend a hand getting everything ready. Kim. Ron. Could you help Mr. Daniels set up his camera?" he pointed to the man who had taken the picture of them after the rescue.

"Okay, Mr. Wright", Kim acknowledged as they jumped down from the wagon. "Come on, Ron."

Ron walked over to Mr. Daniels' small wagon and took a box of equipment from the photographer.

"Kim, you and Ron take these two boxes over there, just to the right of the track. Set up the tripod and put the boxes next to it. I'll bring the camera and we'll set it up pointing to the north. That way, if it takes off, I'll be able to get a good picture."

The two teens nodded and took the equipment to the spot where Mr. Daniels had told them to place it. Following close behind, the photographer set up his camera and had everything ready when they heard the engine of the machine start. Mr. Daniels nodded that they could go and they ran to help with the machine. Orville was climbing onto the spot where he would pilot the craft. He glanced at his watch. It was 10:35 a.m. Everyone stepped back and away from the craft. The rope holding the craft back was slipped off and the craft slowly increased in speed into the stiff wind. Kim and Ron stood back in awe as the machine lifted into the air.

Daniels snapped the shutter of his camera.

The machine darted up and down in the air, rising to a height of about ten feet only to dive back toward the ground. The craft flew about one hundred feet before landing in the sand. One of the skids cracked as it landed. Orville shut off the engine, climbed off the craft and met his brother as he ran up to the machine. They examined the cracked skid.

"That's nothing", Wilbur said. "Let's fix it and get it back on the track."

The men from the station picked up the machine and carried it back to the starting point. As they set it down, Wilbur turned to Kim and Ron. "Ron, go back to the barn and bring my toolbox. Kim, grab the bunch of extra wood strips and the bag of nails. Bring it back here as fast as you can and we'll fix it right here."

They ran back to the barn. Ron saw the toolbox on a workbench along with the bag of nails. Kim stepped to the back of the barn and picked up the roll of wood strips. Ron handed her the bag of nails as she joined him at the front of the barn. Running back to the machine, Kim laid down the bundle of wood strips beside the damaged skid and handed the bag of nails to Orville. Ron handed Wilbur his toolbox and then stepped back as the two men worked on the machine.

The machine was placed back on the launch rail and Wilbur climbed aboard the craft. The engine was started and Etheridge noted on his watch that it was 11:20 am. The machine rolled down the takeoff rail for a second time. Kim noticed that Wilbur seemed to have the same problem controlling the craft, as it flew up and down like Orville's flight. Wilbur flew about one hundred and seventy-five feet before he settled the craft back down onto the sand.

Kim and Ron helped to carry the machine back to the starting point. Wilbur and Orville went over the machine once again and prepared to make another flight. Kim helped Orville climb onto the craft for his second flight of the day. The wind had died down a bit but Orville gunned the engine and the craft rolled down the track for its third flight of the day. Etheridge noted the time was 11:40 am. The craft had just gained the air when a stray gust of wind grabbed the craft. Kim gasped and grabbed Ron's arm as the wind lifted the left wing tip up. The craft started to slip to the right. Kim took two steps to run toward the craft when Orville regained control and landed the craft. He had flown about the same distance as Wilbur.

The men carried the machine back to the starting point and Wilbur climbed into position. He revved the engine up and Kim released the rope holding back the craft. The blast from the propeller blew her hair backward and flying sand stung her face. Wilbur gently nursed the machine into the air. It started the up and down movement again but he managed to gain control over it. It continued on and on with everyone running behind it. The craft flew on for about eight hundred feet until it reached a small hummock in the sand. Wilbur seemed to lose control again and the craft darted into the sand. The front rudder frame broke up but the rest of the craft was not damaged.

Wilbur crawled off the machine and helped Orville remove the front rudder structure.

"Let's get it back to camp and see if we can repair it one more time before it gets dark or we lose the wind."

Kim and Ron gathered the remains of the shattered front part of the craft as the men picked up the undamaged part and carried it back to the Wright's camp. The two teens dropped the broken parts beside the barn and joined the rest of the group standing with the machine next to the barn. Kim and Ron walked around the machine as the rest of the men discussed the flights.

Wilbur turned to talk to the two teens when a strong gust of wind caught the machine. Kim screamed as the craft started to lift off the sand. Ron leapt to the rear of the machine and grabbed onto the wing. Wilbur dove beside Ron and tried to hang on while the rest of the group rushed to grab the craft as it lifted higher into the air. Wilbur lost his grip and Ron was carried into the air as the wind picked up the craft and turned it over.

Kim tried to grab Ron's legs. "Ron, let go!" Her hands missed his feet by inches as the he was lifted out of reach.

"AAAgggghhhh!"

Ron disappeared amidst a mass of wings, propellers and engine. The craft flipped over a number of times before it came to rest. Kim rushed to where the craft came to rest and climbed between the wings where she could see Ron's legs.

"RON!"

Ron lifted his head and looked at his best friend/girl friend. "I'm okay, KP, but that was _some_ ride."

Wilbur and Orville climbed in amongst the wings. "Is he okay?"

Kim nodded. "Yeah. Maybe just a bump on that hard head of his."

The two brothers inspected their machine. The legs to the engine mount were broken and the chain guides were badly bent. A number of the upright spars were broken as well as the rear ends of the wing ribs. They shook their heads: the craft would not fly again. Kim pulled Ron out of the craft and helped him back to the cabin. She checked him over as the men carried the remains of the machine back into the barn.

Mr. Etheridge stepped up.

"Kim, why don't you take Ron back to the station and let Mrs. Etheridge check him out?"

The two brothers knelt down to look at Ron. "Well, you two have had a few exciting days. It was a pleasure having you here. We're going to get some dinner then head up to Kitty Hawk and send off a few telegrams. Why don't the two of you drop by later?"

Mr. Etheridge touched Kim's shoulder. "Kim, that ship is leaving later this afternoon. If the two of you want to get on it you won't be able to come back."

The two teens smiled back at the brothers. Kim stood and shook the two brother's hands. "Thanks, but we've been here a few days and really need to be on our way."

Orville nodded. "Well, good luck. If you ever get the chance to come back, be sure to stop by and see if we're still here."

Ron smiled as Kim took his arm. "It would be our pleasure. Come on, Ron. Let's go get our stuff."

Etheridge turned to walk with them. "I'll give you a ride back to the station, then take you down the beach to catch your ship."

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Kim and Ron walked down the beach toward their destination. They turned to wave at the receding wagon heading back to the Kill Devil Hill's station. Etheridge could take them only so far. A signal rocket had been sighted and he needed to get back to the station.

Ron shouldered the two bundles that contained the clothes that the crew of the station had given them. Kim took his hand as they headed down the beach. They could see the tops of the ship's masts in the distance. Ron took a few more steps when the familiar feeling of the tunnel effect washed over him. He turned to see Kim wrapping her arms around him. Their stomachs lurched again. Their heads seemed to spin, as they seemed to fly through the now familiar time tunnel effect. Their trip ended when they landed. This time, grass rushed to meet them. They rolled with their landing and stopped short of a low wall.

They stood up in the darkness. A familiar wailing noise seemed to permeate the air as searchlights scanned the black sky. The two teens stared in the distance. Big Ben stood on the horizon.

Kim stood up. "Ron, we are in London!"

Ron grabbed Kim's hand as she pulled him to his feet.

"Yeah KP, but when are we here?"

Sharp cracks could be heard in the distance. Then explosions rocked the area. The two teens dove behind the wall. A dirty newspaper lay in the gravel where they were hiding. Kim stared at the paper. The date was smudged but she could read some of it and part of the headline. The year was 1940. The headline read. "German bombers continue their nightly raids…."

A gravelly voice came from above them.

"JUST WHAT the bloody 'ell are you two doing here?"

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Kim and Ron got to see the first airplane flight. Now they will be facing that great achievement turned into a horrible machine of destruction. Kim and Ron have landed in London during "The Blitz", the German bombing of London in the opening days of World War II.

I truly hope that all of you have been enjoying "Tunnel Vision". Please leave a review and tell me what you think.

A big thanks to my two betas. Rufusforever and rancherod


	11. Chapter 11 London 1940 I

Tunnel Vision

Chapter 11

London part I

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December 28, 1940

London

Kim looked up at the knurled face of a man, his doughboy-type helmet protecting his head. The man rolled over the wall and landed on top of the two teens.

"_Stay_ _down_!" he screamed as he covered them with his body. Several bombs landed nearby, their explosions shaking the earth. Kim thought the concussions would suck the air right out of her lungs. Ron tightened his arms around her as the man moved to shield them more. The ground vibrated as more bombs landed nearly. Clods of dirt and grass covered the three. Ron felt like his eardrums would burst. They lay next to the wall for what seemed like hours as the explosions rattled their bodies. At last, the sounds of the planes diminished into the distance.

The man on top of them rolled off to the side and stood up. Ron got to his knees and checked over Kim. Kim lifted her head, her ears still ringing. She glanced to the side and saw Ron standing up as he shook the dirt and dust off. Reaching out with her hand, she used the wall for support as she got to her feet. Kim and Ron looked around them. Several buildings were demolished and burning. Flames poured out of the roof of another building.

The man took off his helmet and ran his hand through his sandy hair. He turned to the two teens as he put his hands on his hips. "Now just what the bloody 'ell are you two out in the open? Didn't you 'ear the siren?"

Ron stood behind Kim as he brushed some dirt off her shoulders. "We were trying to get to a shelter, but got lost."

The man smiled. "A _likely_ story. More like you two wanted a little excitement and decided to stay out. My name is Blevins. Maxwell Blevins. You two need to come with me."

A fire brigade truck pulled up to a line of burning homes. The men jumped off, pulling their fire hoses out. One turned to the three standing in the open.

"_You_ there! We need extra hands! Get _over_ here!"

Kim, Ron and Max jumped the fence and ran over to the fireman.

The fire brigade officer glanced over his new arrivals. The air warden he knew, but he was surprised to see the two young teens that had arrived with Blevins. One was a young girl with red hair pulled into a ponytail. The other was a young man with blonde hair.

"Okay. Max, help Harper over there with the hoses. You two, help Parker over there with his hose."

Kim and Ron ran over to a short, stocky man pulling his fire hose toward a burning home.

"Help me with the hose!"

The teens grabbed the hose and helped settle it behind the fireman as he opened the nozzle. Their training at GJ covered many areas; one was firefighting. They knew how to help handle the hose so that the fireman at the nozzle could concentrate on directing the water stream. Parker turned from his nozzle to see the two behind him manning his hose. They seemed to know what they were doing, so he turned his attention back to the fire. His stream of water played across one home that was burning and another next door that was damaged but not burning. As he directed the stream of water back and forth over the fire, the door to the damaged home opened. Smoke poured out as a man fell forward out of the door and crawled away from the home.

Parker turned and yelled. "Go check him over and see if he's sound! I have the hose!"

Kim and Ron ran over the where the man lay in front of his home. They rolled him over to see his face, blackened by smoke. His hands were burned. His eyes blinked as he looked at the two teens.

"My family… they're trapped… in the basement… in back… of the house. A beam fell on the trapdoor. I couldn't… move it. Help them… _please_…" he murmured.

Ron got off his knees. "KP, I'll get the firemen!"

Kim hopped to her feet. "There's no time, Ron!"

As if to emphasize Kim's point, part of the roof of the house collapsed and began to burn. Off they ran for the front door and into the house. Parker was watching from his position as they ran into the home. "What the…?" He shut his hose off and began yelling for the rest of the men of the fire truck.

Entering the house, Kim and Ron immediately got down on their hands and knees. The front two rooms were empty. Chairs lay tilted over on the floor, dishes shattered, tables upended. Going further into the smoke-filled house, black smoke choked their throats and burned their eyes. Flames licked out of one door. The kitchen was in shambles; food and broken crockery lay everywhere. There they found the huge beam holding closed the door to the basement. The ceiling was smoking and flame licked through the cracks in the wood. As they crawled closer, the home seemed to shift and shake. Dust fell from the rafters and the fire seemed to gain strength. Kim and Ron squinted at each other and nodded. They didn't have a lot of time. Grabbing one end of the beam, they strained and pulled but could not lift it. Gasping for air and feeling the heat start to build, they tried again. Ron closed his eyes and concentrated; the familiar blue tinge glowed behind his eyes. He grasped the beam and pulled it up off the floor. The floor under his feet creaked under the strain of the extra load. Kim grabbed the handle of the trapdoor and pulled it open.

The steps to the basement led down into darkness. A child's face appeared in the light given off by the flames. Then a woman's face appeared with another child.

Kim reached for the hand of the first child. "Come on! We need to get out of here!"

Just then, the house lurched and the ceiling above them began to crack. Flames poured through the opening cracks. The mother screamed.

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Mr. Possible waited in the labs as the staff attempted to learn where the tunnel had placed Kim and Ron. They had been gone for nine days now and the tabloids were having a field day with the story. Dr. Director continued to have press conferences about the "mission" that they were on. The problem the press had with the conferences was that none of the missions that Kim and Ron had been on before had lasted this long.

The lack of detail in the press conferences also fueled the tabloids to speculate. Some of them had Kim and Ron eloping to some distant remote island. Others had them killed on that obscure mission. Another story had Kim shacking up with a number of different persons, including Shego. One had Ron apparently disappearing into some Japanese monastery. One story that caught Dr. Possible's eye had Elvis coming back on some flying saucer and taking the two teens into some other dimension in time. James laughed at that one. The seediest of all the tabloids was closest to being right and they did not even know it.

Dr. Eng stepped up to his side and tapped him on his arm. James turned to him as he handed him a clipboard. Dr. Possible flipped through a couple of pages then stopped at one in particular. His eyes closed as he let the other pages fall back into place. James tried to envision what Kim and Ron were facing now. He could not believe the irony that they had just participated in man's first powered flight. Now they were facing a time when that same technology would be used as something truly horrible.

Entering his office, James saw in the faces of Anne and the Stoppables the question being asked before they could utter a word. James pulled the paper from the clipboard and handed it to Anne. She read it and passed it on to the Stoppables, and then stood and put her arms around James' neck. She shuddered to think of what was happening to her daughter now. At least they were somewhere that they had been before. Just a couple of months earlier Team Possible had been on a mission with the British SAS. To express his gratitude, the commanding officer of the SAS group they had assisted put them up in one of the finest hotels in London. They had an audience with the Queen and were given a night on the town in appreciation for their assistance on the mission. The two teens still had the outfits that had been designed for them and bore their names. The royalties from the world-wide sales of the outfits would go a long way toward paying their way through college.

James sat at his desk and activated the link to Wade.

"Have you been able to track them anymore?"

Wade nodded. "Yes, sir. I'm scanning for more information on the time period. I hope to be able to get enough information to download to them so that they can at least avoid the majority of the bombing."

James chuckled. "Yeah, but if I know Kimmie and Ronald, they're in the _middle_ of it."

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Kim sat on the chair in the aid center as the nurse scrubbed her face. She grimaced as the lady clucked over her. The rag felt like it was made of sandpaper, as the cloth seemed to grind into her skin.

"Well now, there _is_ someone under that smut and dirt. I do believe it's a young lady and a very pretty one at that."

A small smile came to Kim's face. She brushed her hand through her hair, frowning at the sections that were singed. The smell of burnt hair came to her nose. She sat back and closed her eyes as she remembered what happened.

The mother's scream was shrill and long. Kim grabbed the first child's hand and pulled him from the basement stairs. "Come on!" She felt her lungs filling with smoke; the heat on her back was growing.

The mother stumbled from the stairs as she held the small child. Kim picked up the first child and hugged him to her chest. He clamped his hands around her arm, coughing from the smoke. The ceiling creaked again as small pieces of burning wood showered down on them. Ron's hand slapped her on the back of her head and back. "KP! Run!"

Stumbling toward the front of the house, Kim quickly looked back to see Ron guiding the mother out of the flaming room. His shirt and hair were smoking. She started to run as the house lurched once again. A sheet of flame roared from a hole in the ceiling. Kim hesitated for a moment, and then ran through the flames.

Ron was pulling the mother out of the room as the ceiling collapsed. The place they had been standing was buried in flaming wood. Ron put his arm around the mother and continued to lead her out of the home. The house lurched again and the flames in front of them grew. The mother stopped and shook her head. Ron bent down and picked up a small hall carpet from the floor. He wrapped the mother and child in the carpet, put his arms around her and guided them through the flames.

Kim turned as she reached the door, only to see the flames growing larger. Then through the flames came a shape; a shape that transformed into Ron leading the mother and child covered in a carpet. Ron's hair was on fire. Kim leapt through the door in a twisting motion, coming down on her back in the street, her body cushioning the landing for the boy in her arms. One of the fireman pulled the child from her arms. Cool fresh air filled her lungs. She lay there choking for a moment before she sat up and saw Ron leading the mother and child out of the home into the arms of the fire crew.. He dove to the street and started to roll. Kim dove on top and rolled with him. Cold water soaked them as one of the firemen turned his hose on them. Kim looked down at two brown eyes gazing up at her. Ron's hair was burnt in sections and his face was covered in smut and dirt.

Ron opened his eyes to see Kim looking down; her wet hair hanging down around her head. Her face was blackened by the smoke. She started to cough as she rolled off of him. He took a breath of fresh air and started to cough himself.

"KP?"

Kim turned to Ron as the house they just left collapsed.

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Shego walked slowly toward the lair's landing bay doors. She watched as some of the goons unloaded one of the hovercraft. One call to Drakken and everyone came back. She smiled. Everyone flinched if she so much as _looked_ at them wrong. Most of the help avoided her like the plague. Those that had to work with her did so at a distance and with great respect.

Drakken was in his lab, trying to figure out what James Possible was up to. Digging through some of his old papers, he found a notebook that James had given him when they were still friends. It contained a lot of notes and writings on James' ideas on a working time machine. Drakken had taken the notes and tried to replicate them with the current more advanced technology. He was confident that he could at _least_ figure a way to _sabotage_ the systems.

Shego winced as she stretched her back. Her butt was still a little tender. Pillows were still a requirement to sit down for any length of time. If she ever got her hands on that miniature excuse of a Kim Possible wannabe and her robo-horse, things would get ugly. But that was not all. The bruise on her head reminded her that those two brat brothers of Kim's were there, too. Eleven year old pranksters with high I.Q. brains could be a troublesome combination. The techno-dude had to have come up with the hologram but there was someone else there, too. She didn't _know_ who it was, but if they were of the Possible family, they were going to be trouble.

A roaring blast of air announced the arrival of a totally black hovercraft. It settled down in the landing bay and shut off its engines. The hatch opened up and monkeys dressed as ninjas poured out and took up positions around the craft. Monkey Fist emerged from the hatch and stepped down the stairs. He snapped his fingers and the monkey ninjas formed two rows behind him.

"Well, you took you time getting here!" Shego snarled.

Monkey Fist simply bowed to Shego. "Let's say that I thought it would be prudent to delay my arrival until I was _sure_ there would not be any "sore" spots in our partnership."

Shego lit the fire on her hands as she stared down Monkey Fist. He just stood there with a smirk on his face. The monkey ninjas spread out behind him, watching her. She smiled after awhile and turned off her fire. "Okay. The staff will show you where you are going to stay. When Killigan gets here, we'll meet to see what we can come up with."

Monkey Fist bowed and walked past her down the hall. A tall, heavyset goon motioned for Monkey Fist to get in front of him and guided him and his monkey ninjas to their room.

Shego turned around as she heard another hovercraft enter the launch bay. She could see Killigan at the controls. The craft landed and extended is steps. The mad golfer stepped down from the craft and walked over to her, carrying a set of his clubs.

"Alright, lass. I'm here. I see our partner arrived before me. Let's get this meeting started."

Shego gestured toward the hallway and led him down the hall and into a conference room. Monkey Fist joined them and they sat down around the table. Shego stood and faced the other two.

"Okay, let's make some plans to get rid of the princess and the buffoon _forever_!"

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Blevins walked into the aid center and stood, glaring at the two teens. He had no idea where they had come from. One moment, the vacant lot was empty; the next, the two of them were there diving for cover by the fence. He had run over to them, hoping to get them moved to a safer location before the bombing got worse, but the sticks of bombs arrived before he had a chance. All he had time to do was to shield them and hope for the best. Afterward, the two of them had jumped to help the fire brigade, only to end up running into a burning home to rescue the family. Both of them got a little roasted before they got the family out. These two were wild cannons and he was going to get to the bottom of it.

The nurse carried off the basin of water that she had used to wash the two teens. Dr. Mason, the main physician for the aid center, came over to examine them, starting with Kim. First, he checked her scalp and her face. Then, leaning her forward, he checked her back. Pushing her back, he checked her arms and hands. He then moved over to repeat the procedure with Ron.

"Nurse, they have first degree burns on their faces and hands. They both have some smoke inhalation and a few bruises. Apply some burn cream to their faces and hands. Administer some mild pain killer and get them some clean clothes. They are to stay in the ward overnight for observation. Put them beside each other so you can keep an eye on them."

The doctor turned to Blevins. "Mr. Blevins, a word with you."

The doctor and Blevins stepped aside as the nurse returned. "There's a clothes station in the back hall. Why don't the two of you go down there and pick you out something clean? There are bathrooms in the back where you can get cleaned up and changed. Come back out here and I'll put the cream on and give you something to make you a little more comfortable. Then I'll find the two of you a place in the ward."

With some effort, Kim and Ron stood up and limped down the hall. There were stacks of clothes in cubbyholes according to size. They each picked out a couple of sets of clothes and went to change. Minutes later, they returned to the nurse's station.

"My! Don't the two of you look like you feel better? Now, take these", she gave Kim and Ron a couple of small white pills. Kim frowned at them.

The nurse put her hand on Kim's arm. "Now, don't you worry. It'll just help with the pain and help you get some sleep."

Kim glanced over to Ron as he took a cup of water and downed the pills. Kim took his cup of water and swallowed hers. They sat down as the nurse rubbed the cream on their faces and hands. When she finished, she put away the cream and took them to a room that was connected to the clinic. There were beds lining both sides of the room. People of all ages and both sexes lay in the beds. Orderlies moved among the people, checking on them. Some of the patients had bloody bandages. Others just lay still, staring into space. Family members sat beside some. In one bed, a woman lay with her face covered in bandages. A small girl sat with a man as he held his wife's hand.

Kim took Ron's hand as the nurse led them to two beds further down the room. They tried not to stare at the others as they passed. They had seen the Civil War, but this was taking war to a new level. This was the deliberate targeting of the civilian population.

The nurse pulled back the sheets on one bed then turned and pulled back the sheets to the other. "Here we go now. You two can have these beds. If you feel bad or you hurt just let one of the orderlies know."

Kim and Ron sat down, took off their shoes and crawled into their beds. They settled in and then turned to face each other. A shadow appeared over them and they looked up.

Blevins stood there, arms crossed.

"Okay, I need to fill out a little paperwork. What are you names and ages? I want to know where you're from and why you were in the city."

Kim rolled over on her back. "I'm Kim Possible. I'm seventeen."

Ron leaned back and settled against the wall. "My name's Ron Stoppable and I'm seventeen, too."

Blevins nodded. "Your accents. You're not British. You're _Yanks_. What are _Yanks_ doing here?"

Kim looked up at the officer. "We were living here with our parents in London, trying to get out. Our parents were killed in the bombing. We have been on our own for the last few days. We just wanted to find a way to help. We don't have anywhere else to go."

Blevins scowled but nodded. "Well, I'll check this out. You two will be here tonight but someone will be by in the morning to pick you up. I think we can find you somewhere to help."

Blevins turned and left the room. Kim rolled over to face Ron. She pulled the Kimmunicator out from under the sheets and showed it to Ron. He knew that when they turned off the light and everyone was asleep, she would try to contact the center.

The lights went out and he turned over to look at Kim. She smiled in the dim light of the room, her emerald eyes shining in the darkness. Thousands of miles and hundreds of years of travel and they were still together.

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The next day, Kim sat in the canteen of the local center that coordinated the civilian and military work in the area. Blevins had picked the two of them up that morning and taken them there. He had attempted to find any record of their parents. Of course, there was none because their real parents were alive nearly seventy years into the future. Blevins assumed that any records had been destroyed in the bombing. Since they were both seventeen, he said they could help in the center. Right now, both of them were eating breakfast. Kim longed for a cup of coffee, but all they had was tea. Breakfast was oatmeal, butter, toast, and, much to Ron's chagrin, stewed prunes. Kim had to stifle her laughter when a bowl of them were set in front of Ron. He pushed them aside and simply enjoyed a double helping of oatmeal. The news of what they had done the night before had spread among the other workers. They both got a few pats on the back.

Kim was to be assigned in the relief center, helping sort the clothing and registering families that had lost their homes. Ron was assigned to a group of men to help clear areas where the fires were out.

Kim stood and headed out the door with Ron. She gave him a quick kiss and walked into the relief station. Ron walked over to the lorry where the group of men he was to work with was waiting. One of the men reached down and helped Ron into the back where he took a seat. The lorry started and rumbled down the street. They traveled for about ten minutes when the truck groaned to a stop. Everyone jumped off and began to pull the tools off the bed of the vehicle. Ron picked up a large pry bar, avoiding the shovels. He had gotten his fill of the "Lotus Pain" on the beach in North Carolina. An officer directed them to a street were several buildings had been blown apart. The group started to clear the street. Ron used his pry bar to help wedge some of the larger pieces of brick work out of the way. Then some of the other men would pick the smaller pieces up and put them in handcarts to be carted away.

"You be careful, lad, when you move a piece of wall. Always be sure nothing else is going to fall."

Ron turned to see Andrew Higgins, one of the other workmen. Higgins lived in the area until his home had been blown apart. His wife worked in the relief center while he worked on the cleanup crews. His children had been evacuated to the countryside to keep them away from the bombing.

"I just want you to know also that a family is missing in this area. No one has been able to find them since this building was hit about three days ago. So you might want to be careful of what you may find under some of the debris."

Ron nodded. "Thanks, Andy."

Higgins patted Ron on the back. "Come on. Let's see if we can get this piece of wall to fall so we can keep it from falling on someone." Ron and Higgins used their bars to chip at the bottom of a leaning section of wall. They kept at it until the wall started to fall.

"Get clear there, Ronnie-boy!"

Ron and Higgins jumped clear just as the section of wall fell. It struck a part of a collapsed floor and that caused a section of the entire building to collapse. Debris cascaded down into the street in front of them. Then something _else_ slid down the collapsed flooring. Ron stood for a few seconds, staring at what lay before him. Higgins stood beside him. "_Dear Mother of God_!" Ron turned and lost his breakfast in the street behind him. Higgins whistled for the other men of the group as he turned to help Ron.

"Come on, Ron. Let's get you back to the transport." Higgins put his arm around Ron and lifted him to his feet. Ron tried to look back but Higgins blocked his view. "No, lad. There's nothing you can do for them _now_. We'll take care of them."

Higgins supported Ron as they walked back to the truck. Ron chanced a look back. Two of the crew were laying blankets over the remains that had tumbled from the building. Ron continued walking, trying to forget what he had seen. The family must have been clinging to each other when the bomb hit.

Andy helped Ron sit on the tailgate of the lorry and handed him a canteen. Ron took a slug of water, swirled it around in his mouth and spit it out on the street. He took another swallow of water, and then leaned his head back as he poured the contents of the canteen on his face. Higgins stood beside him as he leaned forward.

"You going to be okay there, Ronnie-boy?"

Ron nodded and hopped off the tailgate of the truck. Higgins put out his arm.

"Now, you don't have to go back if you don't _want_ to. There's not a man in this group that would think less of you. This is your first _time_."

Ron shook his head. "No, I'd better get used to it. It's my first but I doubt it'll be my _last_. Let's get back to work."

Ron started off up the street back to the group of workmen. Higgins followed behind him.

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Mrs. Higgins watched as Kim organized a load of clothes that had come in. She was impressed with the young girl's organizational skills and work ethics. Kim had done as much work as two of her other staff. She had reorganized the clothes closet, set up a new method of registration for those coming in for aid, organized a children's time, set up a time for the parents to get help filling out assistance papers, organized a food bank and mapped out the displaced families and recorded where they had been sent. She did all that in just the _morning_.

Kim folded another blanket and placed it onto a stack of others. She had suggested to Mrs. Higgins that they start putting kits together to give out. Each kit would contain a towel, wash cloth, soap, and other small items, all folded up in a blanket and the blanket tied with string. Then, when someone came in for help, they would just pick up the number of kits needed. She also reorganized the clothes closet into sets of clothing. Each set contained a complete change of clothes. There again, when the kit was needed, all they needed to know was the sex and size. The kits were covered in paper and tied with string.

"Kim, can you come over here, please?"

Kim put down the kit she was working on and walked over to Mrs. Higgins.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Oh, yes, Kim. A heavy transport is coming in loaded with food. Could you direct them where the supplies are stored?"

Kim nodded. "Yes, Mrs. Higgins. I'll be glad to."

Mrs. Higgins smiled back at Kim. "Kim. My name is Anne."

Kim smiled back. "Okay, _Anne_."

Kim heard the truck backing up to the door of the kitchen area. She walked back to the rear of the building and out the door. The truck stopped at the door and a number of men jumped off the truck dropping the tailgate. Kim could see stacks of supplies in the shade of the huge vehicle.

One of the men turned to her. "You the one who's going to show us where to put all of this?"

Kim nodded. "Yes, sir. My name's Kim."

The older man took off his cap and ran his hand through his hair. "Well, Kim. I'm Danny. Pleased to meet you, but I must say that you must be the Yank young lady that everyone is talking about."

Kim blushed slightly. "Yes, sir. But I didn't do it alone. My boyfriend was with me."

The men started to pull the boxes off of the truck. Kim directed the men where to put each type of food. Some went to the basement while others containing dry goods went to the storage room. Danny watched his men as they unloaded the truck. Kim grabbed a couple of boxes herself and carried them in. Danny was walking with her as they carried some flour bags to the storeroom.

Danny put down his load. "You said your boyfriend was with you? His name wouldn't have to be _Ron_, would it?"

Kim put down her load and turned to face Danny. "Yes, that's right. Have you met him somewhere?"

Danny sat down on a box.

"We came by a work crew. Apparently, your Ron was a member of the crew. He and some other workers found a family that had been missing for three days."

Kim smiled. "That's my Ron. Was he able to get them out okay?"

Danny's face turned grim as he looked at Kim. She knew what the look meant.

"You mean they were…?"

He nodded. "Yeah, Andy Higgins was working with him when they found them. It was a shock to your friend. But, after cleaning up, they said he went right back to work. That's a good man you got there."

Kim shook her head, trying to imagine what Ron has seen. This sitch was getting worse each time they jumped.

Danny stood up.

"You need to give your boyfriend a big hug when you see him. I have a feeling he's going to need it."

Kim nodded. "You can count on it."

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Ron sat in the darkness of the truck as it pulled up in front of the relief center. He was covered in concrete and brick dust. His hands shook as he tried to stand. Higgins reached across and pushed him back down for a minute.

"Take it easy there, Ronnie-boy. You've had a busy day."

Ron sat back down and steadied his hands by wiping them on his pants. He glanced down, noticed the dark stains on his pants and remembered how he had gotten them. That scene with the family was burned into his mind. He had seen some sights in his day but _nothing_ like that. He stood up and hunched over so that he could exit the truck. His feet stung as he jumped off the truck. Ron stuck out his hand to steady himself.

"Ron!"

He looked up just in time to nearly be tackled by Kim. She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tight. Ron lifted his arms around her and drew her in closer, burying his face in her hair. He lost himself in the warmth of her embrace. It was the one thing he needed now.

Kim held on to Ron as tight as she could. He smelled awful and there were stains on his clothes that she knew she would not want to _know_ about. He shuddered as he as took each breath. She could hardly breathe, he held her so tight, but there was no way she was letting go.

Mrs. Higgins came out of the door, wiping her hands on a towel.

"Kim, help Ron inside. You go get him some clean clothes. After he gets cleaned up, the two of you get something to eat. I want both of you down in the basement shelter to get some sleep. It's going to be another bad night, they think. You'll be safer in the basement."

Kim nodded and pulled Ron toward the door. In the distance, the air raid signal began to wail.

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Kim and Ron are in London during one of the most destructive and deadly periods of history. Ron had the experience that many of the crews had during that period. Most of the children had been evacuated at one time but came back. They were evacuated to the country again during this period of the Blitz but there where still some families in the area. The Germans at first concentrated on certain areas of town, but Kim and Ron are in London during the period of indiscriminate bombing of the city by the Germans. No part of the city was really safe. One neighborhood could be leveled while another would be spared. I hope that you are enjoying this new chapter of "Tunnel Vision." A big "Thank you" to my great betas and helpers, Rancherod and Rufusforever. Their help in research and reading over my work has been invaluable. Please leave a review and let me know how you like the story.


	12. Chapter 12 London 1940 II

Tunnel Vision 12  
London 1940 II  
By Captainkodak1

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Kim and Ron settled into a small room off of the basement. Putting two cots together, they crawled under the blankets, Kim nuzzling up into Ron's arms.

"You okay?" she asked.

Ron nodded as he stroked Kim's hair.

"Have you heard from the Center?" he asked her in return.

Kim nodded. "Yeah. Wade and Dad sent some more information. We have to be _very_ careful. The bombing is only going to get worse. They also were able to download a countdown clock so we know when the tunnel should fire again."

"That's good", Ron whispered. "Let's get some sleep."

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London, England.  
December 29, 1940

Ron woke up and looked around. The room seemed to be vibrating. Dust fell from the ceiling onto the blankets. The explosions were getting closer. Kim woke up and seized hold of him.

The lights flickered when the room literally rocked from a near explosion. They got up and stumbled into the hall of the basement. Another explosion knocked them off their feet. Ron helped Kim to her feet. One part of the basement caved in, burying some of the people.

Kim started toward the rubble. "Ron! Mission Time!"

Ron shook the dust off him and followed. "Right behind you KP!"

The two teens joined others already clawing at the brick rubble. Seeing a part of the mound move, Ron pulled away a section of bricks, unearthing a hand.

"KP! Over here!"

Kim and Ron pulled at the brick and wood surrounding the hand. Soon an arm was revealed, then a shoulder and finally the head of a man. His face was grey from the dust.

"Get my son out!"

The man heaved himself up to reveal a small boy under him. The child looked up at the two teens and extended his arms. Kim grabbed his hands and pulled him out. Ron dug out the father and helped him to stand. Somehow, he was only bruised. Four other people were pulled from the rubble with various injuries while two others were laid to the side with blankets covering them.

A new series of explosions started toward them, causing the room to shake once again. Kim stood and yelled, "We need to get out of here!"

The others ran as the string of explosions came even closer. Ron shoved the others out of the room and down the hall toward the stair. Kim picked up the child while Ron helped the father to his feet. The four started down the hall with Ron in front. The next explosions came even nearer. One hit close by, knocking them off their feet. Ron rolled over to look for Kim, who was several feet behind him. She was getting to her knees when the arch of brick above her started to crumble.

"Kim!"

They locked eyes for a moment. Then Kim picked up the child while on her knees and threw the child to Ron. Ron caught the child and was knocked back on his back. When he sat up he saw the arch crumble. His eyes saw Kim's. Then the arch failed and buried her.

"KP!" Ron screamed and dove toward the mound. He clawed at the bricks and rubble, not caring that the shards of brick and mortar were lacerating his hands. Others joined in. Ron pulled a section of brick away to reveal one of Kim's arms. He grabbed her hand and felt for a pulse. There was none. He shoved a section of the arch away to uncover her head and face. Her emerald eyes were open but not seeing. He laid his hand on her face and closed her eyes. He pulled her limp body to his chest and screamed.

"KIM! KIM!! K-I-I-M-M-M!!!"

"Ron…RON! Wake up!"

Ron opened his eyes, his cheeks stinging. Kim was looking down at him. Apparently, she had slapped him awake. He sat up, bathed in sweat. Looking around, he could see they were still in the basement. The lights were dimmed. He turned to see Kim sitting up next to him, concern filling her eyes. He covered his face and shuddered, then wrapped his arms around her and cried.

Kim held Ron as he cried on her shoulder. She knew he had had a bad dream, and whatever had happened in the dream involved her. Somehow, the sights he had seen that day were affecting him. She shuddered herself trying not to imagine the horrors he had seen that day. Leaning back to hold him to her, she grabbed the blanket and pulled it back up to cover them. She bent her head over to kiss him on his head. Ron tightly held onto her until he eventually fell back to sleep. After he was asleep, she pulled the Kimmunicator out of her pocket and began to type.

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Wade stared at the screen of his computer, his hands dancing across the keyboard. Two experts on the London Blitz period had arrived and briefed him on what Kim and Ron could do to survive. They urged Wade to get the teens out of London, but that did not seem feasible at the time. Some of what they had told him made him worry even more. The note he was preparing to send to Kim and Ron contained information that could save their lives. He was getting ready to save the file and send it when his computer beeped. His eyes grew wide as he recognized that he had just received a note from Kim and Ron.

Wade moved his mouse over the icon and double-clicked on it. The note opened and he began to read. His heart started to beat faster as Kim related what had happened. The description of their location made him uneasy. He started a trace on her description of the area. The screen on the wall activated, showing a map. A crosshair glided across the map and stopped. Pulling up an overlay of the bomb damage, he caught his breath: they were sitting dead center of the worst area of bombing. He had to contact them. They had to get out. His screen beeped again and Mr. Possible's face appeared.

"Wade, have you read the last message from Kimmie and Ron?"

Wade nodded. "Yes, sir. I think you might want to read it before you let Mrs. Possible or the Stoppables see it."

Mr. Possible's face turned hard. "Okay. Thank you, Wade. Is the next support message ready to send?"

Wade nodded. "Yes, there's enough room for you to put some personal messages this time. We'll wait to send it until all of you can write short notes."

Mr. Possible smiled slightly. "Thank you, Wade. I'll make sure everyone keeps their messages brief."

James sat back in his chair after turning off his link with Wade. He would have to get up with Ann, Jean and Gene. For the first time since the incident started, they would be able to send a personal message to their children. That would mean a lot to them. He pulled down the icon of the message, opened it and began to read. Dr. Eng entered the office and noticed him sitting there reading the message. James had been drinking a can of soda. Dr. Eng watched as his friend and colleague caught his breath as he read the message, then crushed the can in his right hand, spewing drink all over his desk. Dr. Eng came up to his friend's side and placed his hand on his shoulder.

"James? Are you _okay_?"

Dr. Possible turned to his friend as tears came down his face.

"It's my fault. It's _all_ my fault. My daughter… my beautiful, loving daughter…Ron…my best friends' son, the man my daughter loves. They…they're suffering…they're experiencing things no one should, not even in one lifetime. Yet, because of that…that _thing_ in there, they're in so much danger. If either one of them is hurt, I'll never forgive myself."

Eng knelt down to face his friend.

"James, you couldn't have known. You're a _great_ father, friend and scientist. Your work on this project has tremendous implications. Let's get ready and work to bring them home. Okay?"

James nodded. He wiped his eyes for a moment and then his phone rang. He picked it up and answered.

"James Possible. Oh, hi, honey…say WHAT!...WHEN!…WHAT CHANNEL?"

Dr. Possible grabbed a remote on his desk and turned on the TV in his office. He changed the channel to a news station and turned up the volume. The blonde-haired reporter who had been responsible for the mutant snowmen two years ago was on the screen.

"This is Summer Gayle. There are unconfirmed reports out of the Middleton Space Center that Team Possible is _not_ on a mission for Global Justice as recently reported but instead have been caught up in an experiment gone wild. The shocking part of the story is that the experiment had to do with time. An unidentified source inside the center revealed that Dr. James Possible, father of Kim Possible, had been experimenting in _time travel_. As ridiculous as this may sound, apparently the device actually _works_. Ten days ago, during a test of the device, there was an accident. Team Possible was in the room at the time and was pulled into the device. The source inside could not reveal complete information at the time but apparently Team Possible has already experienced the sinking of the Titanic. The full _condition_ of Team Possible is not known at this time _nor_ what time period or place that they are currently _in_. The device apparently changes the time and place they are in every few days. We have _contacted_ the Middleton Space Center and they have not returned our calls. This reporter will _stay_ on this breaking news and will report any and all developments. This is _Summer Gayle_ reporting."

James stared at the screen as he turned off the television.

"DAMN!"

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Ron sat up on the cot and shook his head. The memories of his nightmare still lingered. Glancing down at Kim as she lay still asleep beside him, Ron caressed her face and pushed a lock of her hair out of the way. Kim stirred and opened her eyes. Ron bent over and gave her a gentle kiss.

"Thanks for last night. That was a _bad_ dream."

Kim propped up on one of her elbows.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Ron shook his head. "Not right now; maybe later. Let's go upstairs, get some breakfast and see what we can do.

Kim rolled over and grabbed her shoes where she had placed them under her bed. As she started to put her foot in her shoe she felt something in it; then that something moved. She yelped and flung the shoe off her foot. The shoe sailed across the niche, hit the wall and dropped to the floor. The shoe fell over on its side. A small rat crawled out, looked up at the two teens and then disappeared in a crack in the wall. Kim glanced over at Ron; he reached down, picked up his shoes, turned them over and shook them out. Nothing fell out. Kim nudged her other shoe with her foot to make sure nothing was in it. The two teens glanced back at each other and broke into giggles. They both put on their shoes and tied them.

Kim took Ron's hand as they walked toward the stairs.

"I wonder how Rufus is doing."

Ron squeezed her hand. "I imagine the tweebs are taking care of him; at least I _hope_ so. He's probably quite upset not being with us."

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Rufus licked his chops and rolled over on his back. Ann had brought him one grande-sized naco, and Jean had brought a wedge of sharp cheddar. Everyone was taking care of him and feeding him. His new nest was in Dr. Possible's office. James had taken a box that used to contain file folders and put it up on top of one of his file cabinets. Rufus could see everything going on from there and he was out of the way and would not get stepped on. He missed his favorite two people and he was worried. But he seemed to know that Dr. Possible was doing everything he could to get them back. His full belly dragging, Rufus crawled into his box, circled around to make his spot and laid his head down on the edge.

Jean walked by and reached up to scratch his head. Rufus grunted with pleasure. He opened his eyes to see Jean watching him. A glistening tear ran down her face. She was thinking of Ron and Kim. She remembered how excited Ron was when they let him buy Rufus. He had become a real part of their family and Ron's best friend next to Kim. She missed her son and his best friend. She could only hope and pray that James would find a way to bring them back and if not then she knew that the two would be together and they would make a life where and when they were. If and when they got back, she would never complain about Kim not being "a nice Jewish girl". In fact when Ron came to her and Gene to ask their permission so that he could ask Kim a certain question, she would be honored to have Kim as her daughter-in-law. Jean patted Rufus on his head and stepped out of the office. Her watch was over and it was time for Gene to come in. One of the parents was there all the time now. They juggled their schedules so it would work out. She glanced back at Rufus, then, wiping another tear from her face, she headed for home.

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Kim and Ron had just finished breakfast when a soldier walked into the relief station and spoke with Andy. Ron helped Kim clear up their dishes and took them to the window where they would be washed.

"Kim, I hope you'd like to help us again today."

Kim turned to see Anne standing behind her.

"Yes, Anne, I'd be glad to", Kim replied.

"Ronnie!" Andy called. "This officer is asking for volunteers for a special job."

"What is it?" Ron asked. Kim stood beside Ron and took his hand. She thought if an Army officer was asking for volunteers it could not be good.

Andy introduced the officer next to him. "Ron, this is Lt. Wallace. He's the officer in charge of a special section that needs some men to help them."

Ron reassuringly patted Kim's hand. "What would I be doing?"

Lt. Wallace walked over and extended his hand to Ron.

"Ron, isn't it? I've seen your name on a report or two."

Wallace put his hand on Ron's shoulder. "Ron, I won't lie to you. I'm asking for volunteers because this is going to be _very _dangerous work. My section is a bomb disposal unit. We deal with unexploded bombs. Normally we do not ask for civilian help, but my section is shorthanded."

Kim's heart nearly jumped from her chest. She turned her head up to see Ron looking at her. His face told her all she needed to know. He was going to do it.

"KP, I got to do it." He turned to her taking her face in his hands. "It's what we're about."

"Then I'll go with you!" she whispered.

"Sorry, mum", Wallace said. "Only men on this mission. Besides, if something goes _wrong_, we'll need you _here_."

Ron saw Kim's face start to turn red when the officer mentioned men only. Kim turned to argue, but Ron took her face in his hands again. "Kim, trust me, believe in me." He leaned down, gave her a quick kiss and then turned and walked out the door with Lt. Wallace. Kim whispered under her breath. "I _do_ trust you."

The door burst open and two medics carrying a blood-drenched figure on a stretcher. One of them called out. "We need _help_ here! A bomb shelter took a direct hit. We have many wounded or dead."

Kim turned and looked out the door. A line of ambulances was heading for the relief station. Grabbing a kerchief to tie over her hair, she directed the men into the dining hall where they could lay the wounded on the tables. Doctors and nurses arrived with equipment and started to set up.

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Ron watched out of the lorry as it drove down one of the streets. Lt. Wallace had introduced him to the other men in the section. Sgt. O'Hannon was the ranking enlisted man. The others were Sapper Brown, Sapper O'Connor and Sapper Martin. Andy Higgins and Oliver Smith were the other volunteers from the center. The lorry was full of strange equipment as well as picks and shovels.

The vehicle slowed for moment as it drove around a barrier in the street. Ron saw a sign with a red "X" and the words "DANGER UXB" printed on it. The lorry continued up the street for some distance before coming to a halt. Ron jumped down off the lorry and looked around. A building was marked off in tape. There was also a large van standing nearby with two men standing by it. Lt. Wallace mumbled. "Damn, he beat us here again." Wallace walked over to the two men and talked with them for a moment. The men got back in the van and drove off. Ron noticed that one of the men was smoking a cigarette using a long thin holder. He also saw what appeared to be a woman sitting in the van as it drove off.

Lt. Wallace pointed to a row for homes. The bomb landed in the rear yard of Unit 12. "We'll go around the home and enter the yard. We know the approximate location due to the hole in the ground. We'll probe for it first to locate it, then, working in teams, we'll dig it out. After the dirt is cleared away, Sapper Martin, Sgt. O'Hannon and I will try to disarm it."

Sapper Martin handed Ron a slim metal pole. "We use these to probe for the bloody things. Just be careful how you probe. If you think you have hit something, for God's sake don't tap on it anymore than you have too."

"What will happen if we probe it too hard?" Ron asked.

Martin turned and looked Ron in the eye. "Then that little lady of yours back at the center would be minus one friend and she wouldn't have to worry about burial cause there would be no need for one."

Ron swallowed hard as he followed the men around the homes and into the backyards. They approached a large hole in the ground. Wallace examined the hole and moved from side to side. He pointed in the direction of a small outbuilding.

"Sergeant, it looks like a five hundred kilo. I would start probing in that direction."

Ron did the math in his head. He knew he was lousy at math and the metric system made his head hurt, but he remembered how to convert kilograms to pounds. "Let's see", he thought. "The bomb weighs about five hundred kilograms; there are two-point-two pounds to each kilogram. So that means, five hundred multiplied by two-point-two….." He stopped figuring and decided he really did not want to know anymore. It was big enough for him. He stuck his pole into the ground and started pushing it down. He had probed several feet down and hit nothing. He probed several more times when his pole hit something very solid.

"HEY…ah…hey …I think I found it."

Everyone froze. Lt. Wallace walked over and took Ron's hand off the pole. Ron stepped back. Wallace lifted the pole and settled it down again.

"Ron, get Andy's pole and push down about a meter to my left."

Ron got the pole and started to push it into the ground. It went just a few inches further into the ground and stooped. Wallace nodded to Ron.

"That's it. We found the blasted thing."

Ron blinked his eyes. "Lt. Wallace, do you mind not saying "_blasted_"?"

Wallace glanced over to Ron for a moment and then chuckled. "Okay, Ron. Now, let's get to digging. It looks to be about two-and-a-half meters down."

Andy handed Ron a shovel. Ron winced. Why did he always end up with a shovel? The group started to dig slowly and carefully.

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"Miss Possible, I need you in here."

Kim picked up a box of bandages and headed back into the treatment room. Part of the room had been set up as an emergency operating room. The wounded from the collapsed bomb shelter were being treated there before being sent on to the hospitals in London and other towns. She took the bandages over to one of the doctors standing there working with a patient.

"Oh, good Miss Possible, or should I call you "Kim"?" he asked.

""Kim" will be fine, Dr. Drake", she answered.

Dr. Drake took the box of bandages from her. He had come in to help the medical staff treat the injured, grabbed Kim when he entered the room and she had ended up helping him. About twenty-five years old, about five-eleven with dark hair, he looked exactly like someone Kim wanted to forget.

"Okay, you can call me "Erik". That's with a "k" instead of a "c"."

Kim shook her head for a moment. This sitch gets weirder by the minute. Erik turned to her as he saw a nurse waving to him. The little girl he had been treating sat quietly on the table while he had started to bandage her head.

"Kim, I need you to finish this bandage. You think you can handle that?"

"Yes, Doctor…I mean, Erik."

Kim took the roll of bandages from him and continued to bandage the child's head. The little girl had been brought in with a number of the other injured. At first they had been concerned since she had a bad cut on her head, but that was all it was; a bad cut. A few stitches, a little cleaning up and she would be fine. Kim smiled at the child as she slowly wrapped the bandage around the child's head.

"My name's Kim. What's yours?"

The child sat staring forward. She had not spoken since she had been brought in. She had not even whimpered or cried as the doctor had treated her even when he put the stitches in. Kim was chilled by the cold vacant stare the child had. A piece of cardboard hung from a string attached to her shirt. Kim took the cardboard and began to read.

"Megan Barkin. Age 6. Last known residence: 1211 Dorchester Street, London".

A nurse tapped Kim on her shoulder and motioned her to the side.

"The medics just brought her mother in. She's dead. The medics told me the little girl saw her father die when the shelter was hit. They found her sitting next to her mother, trying to wake her up. She hasn't said a word or reacted to anyone."

Turning back toward the girl, Kim watched as the child pulled her legs up to herself and wrapped her arms around her knees. Kim nodded to the nurse then stepped over to Megan.

"Well, the nurse said we could take you into the other room where you can lay down. How about that? Would you like something to eat or drink?"

Kim picked up Megan and carried her into the room they were using as the dining hall. Megan wrapped her arms around and buried her face in Kim's neck. Kim blushed in embarrassment as she had to pry Megan's arms off so she could get something for her to eat.

Coming back with a bowl of soup and some tea, Kim raised the spoon to Megan's mouth, who ate wordlessly. Kim helped her take a drink and continued to feed her. She noticed that Megan never smiled, her expression remaining unchanged from the stare she wore earlier. Kim finished feeding her the soup, then picked her up and carried her into the room where a ward had been set up. She handed Megan to one of the nurses, paused for a moment and then kissed her on the cheek.

"Kim, we need you in here!"

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Ron leaned on his shovel and wiped his brow. He glanced up to see Andy looking down at him from the edge of the hole about two feet above Ron's head. Sapper Martin and Sgt. O'Hannon continued to slowly dig next to Ron. Ron stuck his shovel in the dirt and pushed it into the ground. It traveled only a couple of inches when he hit something solid. Dirt cascaded down from the side of the hole where he was digging. Grey metal appeared under the hole. Martin gave a quick whistle to O'Hannon and pointed to the exposed metal. Martin touched Ron on the shoulder and motioned him back. Ron stepped back as the two soldiers stepped forward. Martin knelt and dug with his hands. A small round plate appeared. He brushed off the metal and read some numbers on the perimeter of it.

"It's a "17"."

O'Hannon looked at Ron.

"Okay, lad. It's up to you. We need to dig this monster out some more. This here is a fuse." The Sergeant pointed to the plate. "It's a tricky one. If this thing shifts any at all, she'll go off. So we need to be _extra_ careful in digging it out."

"Just show me where you want me to dig", Ron answered.

O'Hannon smiled. "We'll make a sapper out of you yet, Mr. Stoppable. Just scrape the dirt off easy down the side. We'll dig with you."

Ron was sweating profusely even though it was quite chilly in the bottom of the hole. The three of them carefully dug around the bomb. It was only a matter of minutes when the other fuse was uncovered.

"Okay, Mr. Stoppable. It's time for you to get out and let us work."

Ron nodded and climbed up the ladder and out of the hole. He turned to look back into the hole and saw Martin attaching a device to the first fuse. Wallace waved all the others back. "Let's back off and let them work."

The group backed off to the street while Sapper Brown and O'Conner carried some equipment to the edge of the hole. They knelt there as they handed the equipment down into the hole. Sapper Brown nodded at something the men in the hole said and turned to Lt. Wallace. "We need another extractor!"

Wallace pulled a device out of the truck and handed it to Ron. "Take this to the men and come right back."

Ron took the device and started toward the men. He heard one of the men in the hole yell. Then his world disappeared in a huge flash and roar.

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Kim was helping Dr. Drake with another patient when an explosion shook the entire building.. She glanced up and went back to work. She handed Erik a pair of scissors as he cut away the shirt of the man they were treating. The man was gasping for air. When Kim turned back to look she saw a hole in his chest bubbling blood with every breath. Turning away, she forced the bile back down her throat. Erik tapped her on her shoulder.

"You _okay_?"

Kim nodded. "Yes. What do you need?"

Erik pointed to a bandage. "I need that to seal the hole, then I'll need to insert a chest tube and reinflate his lung."

Kim handed him the bandage as he covered the hole in the man's chest. Then, snatching a scalpel from a tray, he made a slice in the man's side and inserted a tube. Blood flowed from the tube down onto the floor. Kim stepped back and nearly slipped. Erik used a large syringe to suck fluid and air out of the man's chest. The man began to breathe easier. Erik taped the tube down and whistled for the medics, who lifted the stretcher and carried the man off to a waiting ambulance. Kim glanced down at her shoes: they were coated in blood. She shivered and tried to clear her head. Erik started to say something when the doors slammed open.

"We need help here! A bomb went off on a disposal team!"

Kim's eyes grew wide. _Ron_ was helping on a disposal team! She watched as three stretchers were rushed into the room. One man was screaming, holding up the stump of an arm. Another lay quiet, the blanket covering him soaked in blood. The third stretcher had the blanket pulled over the face of its occupant. Kim did not recognize the first two. She looked up to see the officer who earlier had been talking to Ron explain to the medical staff what happened.

"It blew as they were trying to pull the first fuse. The two in the hole bought it. So did one that was standing on the edge of the hole. One of these was standing with him. The other was hurt by shrapnel."

Kim ran over to Erik as he pulled the blanket back on the second man. What she saw caused Kim to skid to a stop and lose her battle holding her lunch.

One of the nurses helped Kim from the room. As they made their way past the third stretcher, Kim stopped and shook free of the nurse. "I have to _know_!" Her hand shook as she pulled back the blanket. A mop of blonde hair appeared. Kim gasped, and then slowly pulled the blanket further back. Tears flowed as she let the blanket fall back covering the man's face.

"KP!"

Kim's head snapped up. Ron was standing there in the door, his face blackened, his clothes covered in mud and dirt.

"RON!" Kim leapt into his arms. "Ron, are you okay?"

Ron looked at her as she stroked her cheek, a smile crossing his face.

"RON, are you OKAY??" she repeated.

"He can't hear you, Kim", said a voice behind her.

Whirling around, Kim saw Andy Higgins standing there cleaning his face.

"Ron was taking some equipment to the men when it went off. He was right at the edge of the crater. He caught part of the blast and he has lost his hearing for a bit. However, the medics say it will come back in a few hours. He will have a headache and a little ringing in his ears. Otherwise, he is a _very_ lucky young man.

Kim grabbed a washcloth from a nearby basin and pulled Ron to a seat. She began to scrub his face, removing the black smut and brown mud. As she scrubbed, the freckles she so adored came into view. She dipped the cloth back in the basin and began to wash each of those big ears that for some reason made her heart race. She finished his face, looked up and lost herself in those two brown eyes. She caressed his face as he mouthed the words. "I love you."

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Kim lay nestled in Ron's arms. She had been there the last couple of hours. Earlier, Ron had gotten some clean clothes after washing up, and then he had joined her outside of the dining hall. Kim had walked into the dining hall that had been set up in another part of the church, but when the smell of fresh muttonchops came to her she turned a little green. Ron for his part did not feel like eating a lot either. Mrs. Higgins had gotten them some bread, cheese, butter and marmalade for them to snack on.

Ron brushed Kim's hair to the side as he bent over and kissed her forehead. A slight smile came to Kim's face as her arms tightened around him. They had found a small corner in the sanctuary of the church. They had been there two days and had just learned the name of it. It was called Christ Church Greyfriars or Christ Church Newgate. St. Paul's Cathedral was across the street. The two teens had been so busy they had hardly noticed where they were. This church had not had many members over the past few years, which made it a good place for a relief center and shelter.

Ron looked around and noticed the many of the residents of the neighborhood had taken shelter there. The two teens had heard the air-raid sirens earlier and went into the sanctuary to assist the residents taking shelter there. Andy and Ann told them to take a break and find a quiet place to rest. Ron found a couple of pillow and a blanket and taking Kim's hand found a secluded area off the main area of the sanctuary where they snuggled together in the semidarkness..

"You _okay_?" he asked.

Kim nodded into his shoulder.

"Yeah, I know now that I'm not cut out to be a doctor like my mom. I mean, I hurled two times when I was helping her that time on Mother's Day, but it's going to be awhile before I will want any meatloaf. I have seen enough chopped flesh to last me for quite awhile. How about you? Still have that ringing in your ears?"

Ron continued to stroke her hair. "Yeah, just a little bit. But it's not bad." He did not tell her of the visions he had from what he had seen. Sapper Martin and Sgt. O'Hannon had literally disappeared. There was nothing left of them. Sapper Brown had been cut in half by shrapnel. Sapper O'Connell had lost his arm. One of the men of the group had been disemboweled by a piece of metal. He himself had been thrown nearly 50 feet. Only his Mystical Monkey Power had saved him from being killed or more seriously injured. When he stood up, a wet piece of material was sticking to his chest. It was a charred set of sergeant's stripes, moist with blood and covered in a piece of flesh. He stripped it off his clothes and given it to Lt. Wallace.

The bombs rumbled in the distance. There were some blasts nearby, close enough to shake dust from the rafters of the church. The interior of the church was packed of families from the neighborhood. Kim and Ron walked through on their way to the basement. Two of the women Kim had worked with sat chatting in one of the pews. They waved at Kim as the two teens passed. Mr. Daniels, one of older men of the neighborhood, grumbled as he walked by.

"They hit me favorite pub. The Royal Lion is _gone_!"

One of the two women cackled at him. "Go on, Joe. The pints at the Green Fox are just as _good_."

Joe kept grumbling about pints and fish and chips as he walked away.

The front door opened and a RAF pilot walked into the room. A woman stood up and ran to hug him. The pilot took his wife in his arms, lifting her into the air as he gave her a huge hug. Setting her down, he looked at her reproachfully.

"ARE you daft? You were safe at your mother's place in the country. Here you come back to all _this_."

The mother whispered something to her husband then looked back. The pilot glanced over his shoulder to see two small boys watching them. One appeared to be about nine and the other five. Both of them bore a striking resemblance to the father. The pilot smiled and walked forward to kneel in front of his boys.

The older one spoke. "Did you get it?"

The pilot turned to the bag he was carrying, opened it and pulled out two Spitfire fighter models. Several of the assembled residents ohhh and ahhhed at the toys. One was large and the other small. He handed them to the two boys, who were both grinning from ear to ear. Kim squeezed Ron hand as they watched the two boys take the planes and start to play with them.

The front door opened again and a number of dusty men walked into the room.

"There's a family trapped on Gray Street. Can we have some volunteers to help?"

The pilot turned to his wife and she nodded as he turned to the men.

"I'll go."

Ron stood up and walked out toward the men. Kim grabbed him by the arm.

"Ron you've done _enough_."

He turned to face her. "KP, what do we _do_? Do we _ever_ stop?"

Kim took a breath but before she could speak Ann Higgins approached her.

"Kim. That little Barkin girl? She's been asking for you. She started to talk and wants _you_."

Kim turned to Ron, her eyes questioning him.

Ron took her hand. "Go, Kim. Sounds like she needs you. You go and help. I'll go with these men and be right back."

Kim nodded and then stood on her toes to give him a small kiss. He took her face in his hands.

"I'll be _back_."

She held on to him for a few seconds then nodded.

"Go. But be careful."

Ron smiled back at her. "ME? Be careful? When have I not been careful?"

Ron brushed back Kim's hair from the side of her face and leaned forward until their foreheads touched. Kim looked down and then reached to give him another hug. She put her arms down as he turned to the group of men.

"I'll with you guys."

The pilot stuck out his hand. "I'm Jim Harrison."

Ron took his hand. "Ron Stoppable."

The men turned and went out into the street. Kim watched as the door closed, cutting off her view of Ron. She turned and followed Anne back to the ward.

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Ron and the other men came to a stop at a home a number of blocks away. Some men from the area were already crawling over the mound of debris. An ambulance arrived, its bell clanging.

One of the men on the debris pile called out. "Turn off that bloody bell! We can't 'ear ourselves_ think_ with that racket!"

The driver reached inside his vehicle and turned it off. Silence reigned on the street as the men picked over the remains of the house. Ron climbed up the mound and listened. He gingerly stepped from place to place; making certain he had sure footing before he put all of his weight on it. Another of the men called out.

"We heard something from the back a few minutes ago, but nothing since then!" A number of explosions occurred nearby forcing the men to take cover. The skyline was brilliant red from the fires.

Ron stood back up and took another step forward. The board held then cracked. Before he could pull his foot back, the board broke and he fell through. He felt himself carom off of a couple of beams as he plummeted into the darkness. He landed hard on a floor and rolled to the side. Dust settled down over him as he sat up and looked around. He took the flashlight he had been given and turned it on. Faces of two children and two adults came into view, their eyes blinking at the sudden light.

"Ron! Are you alright?" a voice called from above.

Ron bent his neck up to look at the light shining down from above him.

"Yeah! I found them! They're _okay_! Send down a rope and you can pull us out!"

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Kim carried Megan into the main sanctuary to be with the other people. She hoped that seeing a number of other people would help the little girl. Megan had wrapped herself around Kim the moment she saw her. Megan talked a little to Kim, describing being in the shelter when the bomb hit. She spoke of the smoke and fire, the screams of the wounded and the dying. She found her mother but she would not wake up. That was when the men came and took her away.

Kim cuddled the child close. Megan had finally gone to sleep. Kim found a pew she could semi-recline in and laid the little girl beside her. The explosions were coming closer. She glanced up at the stained-glass window depicting Jesus with a number of children. The red light of the area fires illuminated the window. A group of explosions seemed to walk right up to the church. Kim heard a tremendous crash and bang. Screams and yells as dust filled the room. Megan began screaming and thrashing in Kim's arms. Kim tried to quiet the child and looked around as the dust settled. Her emerald eyes grew wide as the dust cleared, revealing a large bomb lying on the steps leading to the pulpit.

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Ron and Jim Harrison walked back toward the church. Both of them covered in wood and brick dust. They were heading back after getting the family out of the remains of their home. The two men turned the corner and were heading up the street when they came to an abrupt halt, stunned by the scene that lay before them. The remains of the church were engulfed in flames, the walls lying in the street, shattered from the force of the explosion. Ron collapsed to his knees.

"KIM!"

In the distance, flames erupted around St. Paul's. Fire seemed to be everywhere; choking smoke burned everyone's eyes and lungs. Bombs continued to rain down as searchlights crisscrossed the sky. The sounds of the anti-aircraft guns thudded in the distance.

Rivers of tears ran down Ron's face, illuminated by the light of the flames. He cried out.

"KIM!!!"

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I would like to thank everyone for his or her comments and reviews of this story. I would like to say that I know very well that both sides bombed citizens of each side. I am not going to debate what happened. I am just placing our two teens in a defining moment of history. The night of the 29th of December went down in history as one of the heaviest raids by the German Luftwaffe. The church Kim and Ron were in actually existed at the time and was destroyed in the raid that night from a direct bomb hit. This was one of the nights the St. Paul's Cathedral sustained damage from both bombs and fire. The teams of men that formed the UXB teams were some of the true unsung heroes of this point in history. Many of them died as they tried to disarm the unexploded bombs that littered the countryside. There was a scene in this chapter that was taken from an older WWII movie that is one of my favorites. Can anyone take a guess?

As always, Kim Possible and friends are the property of the Disney Company.

Please leave a review. I would greatly appreciate it.

The Second Annual Fannie Awards have started. Get out and vote for your favorite stories and authors. Click on my author name to go to my account then click on my webpage. That will take you to me DA account. I will have a Journal entry there to get you to the Fannie Award site. Support your favorite authors and stories.

Hats off to my two betas and helpers. Rufusforever and Rancherod. I could not do this without their awesome help, research and advice. Thanks guys.


	13. Chapter 13 London 1940 III

**Tunnel Vision  
By Captiankodak1**

London Part III  
December 29, 1940  
11:30 pm

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Kim sat back, blowing a lock of hair out of her face. Balling her hands so tight that her knuckles cracked, she stood and stepped forward to try and get off the lorry for the third time, only to be stopped once again by the soldier stationed at the rear of the vehicle. She glared at him, raising her fist.

"Listen, Private! My boyfriend is back there, helping dig some family out of a collapsed house! When he left, the church was okay; now there's nothing left! Now he's going to come back to _see_ that! I need to let him know that I'm okay!"

The Private held up his Enfield, blocking her path. .

"Sorry, Miss, but my orders are to get everyone _out_. Another truck will pick him up if they can find him, but I heard over the radio that one rescue team was killed when they were digging through a house and a bomb hit the house. No one survived."

Kim started to turn away then spun around to dive off the back of the lorry. The soldier stepped in front of her and she bounced off his chest. She hit the floor of the truck and snap-kicked to a standing position. Kim threw a punch that jerked the private's head back. She grimaced as her next punch connected with his rifle stock instead of his face. As she shook her hand in pain, he popped Kim on her forehead with the butt of his rifle. Kim blinked as stars crossed her field of vision. She took a couple of steps back and sat down hard. Her eyes crossed as she wobbled a second or two then fell back, her head bouncing off the floor of the truck. As she stared upward, she thought she saw two Anne Higgins looking down at her.

Anne glared at the soldier. "You didn't have to _hit_ her!"

The Private wiped his mouth with his arm, and then reached in his mouth with his hand. "Sorry, mum, but I have my _orders_. I could have hurt her a _lot_ worse than I did. I would have every right; she knocked a couple of my teeth loose. I'm going to ignore that _she_ attacked me. I could have her arrested and jailed for failing to obey my orders and for assaulting me. I can tell she was upset about her friend. Just take care of her and I hope that her boyfriend is okay. If you will write down his name and a description I'll have some of the other lads in my section ask around. 'ere. Take some of my water and my kerchief and see if it will help soothe that knot on her head."

Anne took the soldier's canteen and his neckerchief. She poured water on the cloth and dabbed at Kim's face. Then, pouring some more water on the cloth, she made a compress and laid it on Kim's forehead. A knot was already rising there. Kim moaned and tried to open her eyes. Anne started to reach for the canteen again and noticed that Megan had slipped off her seat and was sitting at Kim's head. She looked up and gave the canteen to Anne after she had poured more water on the cloth.

"Maybe this will make her feel better."

Kim murmured and tried to get up, but Anne pushed her back down.

"_No_, you lay still for a bit."

Megan put her hand on the rag and held it to Kim's forehead. Kim's eyes opened and cleared. She saw Megan looking down at her. Megan glanced down and saw Kim's eyes looking at her. Megan leaned forward and whispered.

"You took care of me; now I'm going to take care of _you_."

Kim nodded and covered Megan's hand with hers. Mrs. Harrison watched as she held her two boys close to her. The boys clutched their toy fighters as they sat with their mother. The youngest looked up at his mother.

"Is the lady going to be alright?"

Mrs. Harrison kissed her son and said a silent blessing for the young girl who had led them all out of the church to safety before the bomb exploded. The red haired heroine had been the last out the door and had even been knocked flat by the blast. Then, she had gotten up, dusted herself off and helped the others get into the lorries that the army sent to get them to safety.

"Yes, baby, I think she'll be okay."

The truck continued up the road away from the center of the city. Megan slid her legs under Kim's head and laid Kim's head in her lap. She grinned at Kim as a small smile crossed Kim's face. Anne took Kim's other hand and held it in her own.

Private Baker sat back and placed his rifle between his knees. His jaw still ached. He hoped that maybe the medical officer would give him a spot of rum for it, but then he would have to explain how he nearly got his jaw busted. If the rest of the lads in his section found out that this little slip of a girl had nearly broken his jaw, he would _never_ hear the end of it. That girl must really love her boyfriend to face the dangers she would have faced it she had gotten off the truck. He would get a description of the young man and give it to his officer. Maybe if the word was put out they could find him before he got hurt. He owed the young lady that much. He sat back against the side of the lorry as it rumbled on into the night, leaving the flames and explosions behind them. Ahead of them, the outskirts of London lay in darkness. Megan laid the cloth back on Kim's forehead and eyes; she did not see the bluish flash of light under Kim's eyelids.

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Ron sat weeping in the middle of the street, watching the remains of the church burn. Jim Harrison stood behind him, his hands on Ron's shoulders. Tears flowed from his eyes as well as memories of his wife and two boys ran through his mind. The other men of the group came around the corner to see the flaming ruins. Andy Higgins joined Ron and Jim, staring at the fire burning before him. Ron sat rocking back and forth on the ground for several minutes until at last he was able to calm himself and closed his eyes. A slight glow came from under his eyelids. A smile slowly grew on his face and he whispered, "KP!" Standing up, Ron wiped his face with his shirt sleeve and then turned to his two new friends.

"They're okay! Somehow, I can feel it! Kim and all the others are safe. Some are hurt but they're okay. They got out in time."

"How do you know this?" Jim asked.

Ron shook his head. "I can't explain it, but I know they're okay."

An army lorry rounded the corner and screeched to a stop. A corporal stepped down out of the cab.

"All of you need to get on and let us get you _out of here_."

Ron yelled to the corporal as they climbed into the rear of the vehicle.

"There were a lot of people in that church!" Ron gestured toward the burning remains. "Can you tell me if they're safe?"

The corporal nodded his head.

"Yes, they were all able to get out. Some red-haired lass got everyone moving and out of the building. We got them in lorries and sent them to another relief station."

Jim grabbed the corporal's arm, "How about a woman with two small boys?"

The corporal nodded, "Two small lads with models of Spitfires?"

"YES!" Jim yelled.

"Yes, they are quite alright. They were all taken to the relief station we are heading for. Hop on and we'll get you there."

As the lorry started off, one of the remaining walls of the church fell inward with a crash. Cinders, smoke and flames boiled into the sky. Ron, Jim and Andy looked at each other, then, clapping one another on the back, they climbed into the rear of the vehicle. Ron looked at his watch; it was almost midnight. He remembered that Kim had told him of the countdown clock on the Kimmunicator, but he had not asked what it said.

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Steve Barkin sat back in his easy chair in at his home. He glanced around his living room, his eyes falling on the couch where Ron had laid down, jabbering a bunch of nonsense the night of the Middleton Days Fair. On his wall hung a framed copy of a newspaper clipping showing a special moment between two of his students. It was of the night that Kim and Ron had it out with the blue freak and that weird lady with the green clothes; that rather hot weird lady in the green clothes. Barkin would definitely like to meet _her_ in some dark alley. Now _that_ was a _woman_. He shook his head to clear out those thoughts. He started to think again of Kim and Ron. Dr. Director had briefed him earlier that day. She told him where and when the two teens were. He closed his eyes and thought of the destruction those two were witnessing. He had always had a deep respect of Kim, and his respect for Ron had grown since the Prom that night. He knew that those two did fantastic things together and that many people --- himself included --- did not give Ron the credit he deserved.

In his hands was a small book: his mother's diary. She had started it a few years after her own parents had been killed during the bombing of London. She was extremely reluctant to talk about those times; there were too many painful memories. Later in her life she met and married an American soldier and moved to Middleton. Soon after she found out she was pregnant, her husband left her. After the divorce, she changed her name back to her maiden name and worked to raise her son. He remembered her as a very loving, caring woman who died soon after he joined the army. After she died, he found the little diary amongst her things. He never read it, but saved it as a keepsake in her memory. Tonight he was reading it for the very first time and had just read parts of it. Opening the book again, he turned to a certain page near the front.

In small, printed handwriting he read:

"I still remember the night Mom and Dad were killed. I remember those days after they died. The flames, the explosions, people running, people dying. Through all of that, I remember her. I never found out her last name but I will never ever forget her first name: Kim. She was a beautiful young American girl who was in the shelter with me. She was so nice and took good care of me. I remember a young blonde-haired young man who was with her but I seem to have forgotten his name. John. Don. Ron, maybe. She saved us all that night. She got all of us out of the church before the bomb exploded. Later, she was injured in a fight trying to find her boyfriend and I remember the medical people treating her. I never saw her after that. I hope she made it and I hope she found her friend. I drew this picture a few years afterward. I will never forget her face."

Barkin's hand trembled as he stared at the drawing on the next page. It was a drawing done by a young artist but Barkin didn't need but a second to recognize the subject of the picture. The long, flowing hair left him no doubt. He was looking at a picture of Kim Possible. At least she and Ron had been alive at _some_ point on that night in December of 1940.

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London, 1940  
December 30 - 1:00 am

Kim stepped down from the rear of the lorry when they had reached their destination with the kerchief around her forehead. Her head throbbed whenever she took a step. She glanced around. She would _pound_ that Private if she ever got her hands on him. Kim noticed that they were on the outskirts for the city; the horizon red from the flames of the fires. The crunching thud of the exploding bombs could be heard, along with the sharp crack of the anti-aircraft guns. Searchlights probed the sky. She noticed that three of the searchlights appeared to converge on a single point. She could barely see a small dot in the convergence of light. The dot disappeared in a ball of flame as antiaircraft shells wiped the plane from the sky.

"Miss?"

Kim turned to face Private Baker. He had his helmet in his hands and had his rifle slung over his shoulder. His jaw showed a purplish bruise, testament to the power of the one punch she got in. She growled a bit as she turned to face him full-on, her hands clinched back into fists. The Private nodded when he saw that.

"Miss, you can pound me into the dirt if you want, but I had my orders. I'm sorry I had to pop you like I did, but I couldn't let you get off the lorry. I got a description of your friend from the other lady. I passed it on to my sergeant. When he found out that both of you are Yanks, he reported it to our Lieutenant. The description was passed on to the other units to look for your friend. We _do_ know he was not in the group that got hit by the bomb. Where he is now, we do not know. I hope that he's okay. Again, I'm _sorry_ but I had my orders."

Kim loosened her fists and relaxed. A small smile crossed her face and she nodded.

"It's okay. I guess I would have done the same thing if we had switched places. Thank you for checking on him."

Kim took a step forward and wobbled a bit. Baker stepped forward to grab her arm. He looked at her with some concern.

"Are you _okay_?"

Kim took another step and swayed back and forth.

The Private yelled out, "_Medic_!"

Kim's hand reached out to slap the soldier. "DON'T YELL LIKE THAT!" She then held her head. "Okay, Kim. Don't _you_ yell like that, _either_. Ohhhh, brain pain."

A medical officer ran up. Baker turned to him. "This girl got knocked about a bit. She might need a little care."

Kim shook her head. "I'll be okay. I'm just really tired, and you bashing me in the head didn't help."

The medical officer stared at Private Baker.

"I had to stop her from getting off the lorry. She punched me, so I gave her a little tap with my rifle."

Kim tried to take another step and passed out. Private Baker caught her as she fell forward and threw her over his shoulder. The medical officer pointed to the aid station as Baker carried Kim in that direction. He looked over to Anne Higgins.

"They'll take good care of her. You can check on her later."

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The lorry carrying Ron, Andy and Jim rolled down the street, avoiding piles of debris. The explosions seemed to be fading in the distance when a series of blasts walked up the street behind them. Ron turned to look out the back of his vehicle and saw the lorry trailing them disappear from a direct hit. Shrapnel from the blast ripped holes in the canvas cover of the back of the lorry as everyone dove to the bed of the truck. Their vehicle swerved and was rocked by another explosion. Ron felt the lorry flip as he held on tightly to the bottom of the seats. Flames and heat enveloped them. His head was pounded by the concussion of the blast. The lorry smashed onto its side and skidded to a stop. Two more explosions ripped the street.

Ron, Andy, and Jim crawled from the rear of the damaged vehicle. They dusted themselves off as they looked around. It appeared that they were the only ones to survive. The lorry cab had been torn apart by the blast. The truck in front of them lay upside down in flames. The three men looked at each other and began to run up the street. They reached a traffic circle and looked around when they heard the sound of an engine. A nondescript van appeared out of the smoke and flames. It skidded to a stop, throwing gravel everywhere as the rear door opened. "GET IN!" the driver shouted. The three of them dove into the van as the driver floored the accelerator. The van's tires spun in the gravel as it hurtled down the street. Ron and the others bounced back and forth in the bay of the van. Equipment bounced and jangled on the racks in the back. The three of them were tossed side to side as the driver made a sharp turn, only to be thrown the other direction when the driver turned the other way. Jim braced himself in the aisle and reached out to grab Ron.

"Blimey! I feel like I am back in my bloody fighter with a ME 109 on my tail!"

Andy rolled by and both Ron and Jim grabbed him. All three of them settled down on the floor and braced themselves in place. Ron took the chance to look up at the driver and recognized him as the driver of the van that he had seen at the bomb site the day before. Another man leaned over into view. He appeared to be middle-aged, his clothes of very high quality. A long cigarette holder sat perched in his mouth with the glowing tip of a burning cigarette in its end.

"Greetings, my friends! I'm Charles Howard. I _am_ glad we happened by. Hold on! Mr. Hards, my driver, is rather _energetic_ with his driving."

The van went into a skid around a corner. The driver wretched the steering wheel around and straightened up the van. His foot slammed the accelerator all the way to the floor, only to release it to hit the clutch and change gears. The van reached an open street and settled down. The driver turned and nodded to the other man.

Mr. Howard stepped to the back of the van and reached out to shake Ron's hand.

"Young man, I do believe I have seen you _before_. You were with that unfortunate sapper team yesterday."

Ron took the man's hand as he pulled Ron to his feet.

"Yes, sir."

Jim's eyes popped out when he recognized his benefactor. "LORD SUFFOLK!"

Suffolk turned to Jim. "A-h-h-h, Flight Officer Harrison, I do believe! So nice to _meet_ one of you fine gentlemen giving the Hun such a greeting in the air!"

He turned to Andy. "Greetings, my good man! I do believe I saw _you_ yesterday as well."

Andy pulled his hat from his head. "Greetings, Lord Suffolk. Thank you for picking us up. The army lorry was taking us to be with our families. They had been evacuated from a church."

Suffolk turned to his driver. "Do you have any idea where they might have taken the families?"

The driver nodded. "Yes, sir. I was talking to one of the lads earlier today and he mentioned where they were taking everyone from this section of the city. I can be there in about twenty minutes."

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Kim opened her eyes just a bit to survey her surroundings. She realized that she was lying on a cot just inside the medical tent. Closing her eyes as an orderly walked by, she pictured where she wanted to go. Her destination was a line of motorcycles standing beside one of the buildings. They appeared to be messenger bikes, as she had seen a number of riders come in with bags over their shoulders. Ron always _said_ she had talent. Well, she had just given the performance of her life earlier to fake them out. She wanted to get one of those motorcycles. If she could get one then she could go back and find Ron. Kim closed her eyes as another medical officer walked by. A number of injured where being carried in and taken to another section of the tent. While everyone was distracted, she rolled off the cot and under the edge of the tent. She then crawled along the side of the tent and around the corner. Reaching the rear of the tent, she bumped into some boxes of service jumpsuits. She scrounged around until she found the smallest, but it was still too big so she rolled up the legs and the sleeves. Along with the jumpsuit she discovered a soft beret. Kim gathered her hair into a bunch and tucked it down her collar. She then pulled the beret down low over her head. Reaching down, she scooped up a little mud and patted it on her face. If anyone saw her, she hoped that they would assume she was just a small messenger. She stood up and quickly walked toward the line of motorcycles. Climbing on the first one, she put the kickstand up and stood on the crank.

The next thing Kim knew, she was lying on the ground. The motorcycle had reared up right from underneath her. Then she remembered: "Duh, Kim!" English motorcycles had reversed controls from the motorcycles back in Middleton. She sat up and looked around. Private Baker had spotted her and started to walk in her direction. Her beret had fallen off and her hair had pulled out and was hanging down her back. She got up, grabbed the beret, pulled it back down over her head and then jumped on the next cycle. Repeating her actions, she made certain this time to use the proper controls, hit the starter and the motorcycle roared to life.

Baker began to run.

"Here now! Just what do you think you're _doing_?"

Kim engaged the clutch and hung on as the cycle popped a wheelie. She stood up and forced the front wheel back down to the ground. The rear tire spun in some gravel and she turned into the skid. Regaining control of the motorcycle, she tore off up the street in the direction they had come. A gray van suddenly appeared around the corner in front of her. She veered away at the last second and just missed the onrushing van, glancing back over her shoulder as it continued on toward the relief center. She bent down and revved the engine to full speed as she headed back to Ron. Baker jumped to the side as she sped past him. He just put his hands on his hips and smiled as she disappeared in the distance. Shaking his head, he returned to his post. He would not report the missing motorcycle. Maybe she would find her friend.

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"Blimey!" Hards wretched the steering wheel to the right and slammed on the brakes to avoid a motorcycle and its rider. The van spun to a stop, tilting back and forth, causing Ron, Jim and Andy to be tossed from side to side. Hards watched in the side-view mirror as the motorcycle disappeared into the night.

"Now, that bugger was in one _'ell_ of a _hurry_!"

He put the van back in gear and pulled up to the relief center. Mrs. Harrison ran out of the relief center into her husband's arms. Mrs. Higgins walked up to Andy and took him into her arms. Ron looked around.

"Where's KP… uh …I mean, Kim?"

Mrs. Harrison pointed to the medical tent.

"They took her in _there_."

Ron ran over to the tent and went inside. He grabbed the first orderly.

"A young red-haired girl, where _is_ she?"

The orderly looked Ron up and down, and then answered.

"Apparently, she got up and stole a motorcycle. The soldier on the lorry that brought her in told me he had to bop her to keep her from going back for some Ron guy."

Ron bristled. "He _hit_ her? Where _is_ he?"

The orderly looked outside and pointed to the Private. "There he is; the one with his helmet in his hand."

Ron stalked up to the Private, who turned to face Ron as he approached. Ron looked him over.

"Are _you_ the one who hit the red-haired girl from the church?"

The private nodded, "Yes. I had orders to remove everyone from the area and she kept trying to get off to go for her boyfriend." The private's eyes grew wide. The man standing in front of him fit the description that had been given to him of the missing boyfriend.

"_You're_ the one she was looking for! She just stole a motorcycle to go _after_ you!"

Ron nodded. "I thank you for helping her out of danger."

Private Baker smiled. "You're welco…"

The private didn't finish his sentence when Ron's fist connected with his jaw. The force of the blow lifted him off his feet and back to the ground. The soldiers Baker was standing with grabbed Ron and held him. Baker rolled on the ground and stood up.

"Blast! You hit harder than _she_ does!"

He glared at Ron for a moment, and then his expression softened.

"Let 'im go. He didn't do anything _I_ wouldn't have done."

The other soldiers released Ron as Baker walked up to him. "I hope you find her. She has got to love you a great deal to do what she did."

Ron just turned around and walked back to the van. Andy had walked into the relief center with Anne and Jim was with his family. Ron stuck his hands in his pockets and leaned against the van. He faced up the street where Kim had disappeared on the motorcycle. Ron started to look around and took a couple of steps toward the line of motorcycles until he noticed the guard that was standing over the rest of the vehicles. A hand came down on his shoulder.

"Don't try, it lad. It would just land you in a world of trouble. Come on; get in the van. Mr. Hards and I are going back in there to help. We can look for your little lady."

Ron turned to face the speaker and saw the face of Lord Suffolk. The man pulled him by his shoulder toward the van.

"Besides, I could _use_ a man like you in my current endeavor for the Crown."

Ron kicked a rock as he walked toward the van.

"What do _you_ do? Help with the Ladies' Aid Society?"

Lord Suffolk smiled as he followed Ron into the van.

"No, Ron. Mr. Hards and I with a few others work to disarm unexploded bombs and find out how _best_ to disarm them."

Ron sat down in the middle of the aisle and looked up at the two men.

Lord Suffolk lit a cigarette as the van's engine roared to life.

"I'm sure we will have a jolly good time of it!"

"O-h-h-h m-a-n-n-n", moaned Ron.

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Kim leaned forward low over the bike's gas tank. It took a few minutes to get used to the reversed controls but she soon had control over the bike. The covered cat's eye headlamp would illuminate anything in front of her but not the road. Her heart was beginning to calm down after she nearly collided with the van that appeared out of nowhere. She had stolen a glance of the two men in front of the van and the shadow of a third standing behind them. A bomb detonated nearby, spraying dirt and bits of brick on her. She kept working her way back toward St. Paul's Cathedral. Once she was in the right area, she would look for Ron. The jumpsuit she had borrowed kept her warm in the night air.

It did not take her long to make her way back to the remains of the church. Several fire brigade trucks were in the area as the crew fought the fires. She turned one corner to find a line of trucks that had been caught in the bombing. She slowly worked her way around the mangled wreckage of the lorries. The bodies of the occupants lay strewn about the area. They were the _lucky_ ones. She had caught a glimpse of two bodies in the charred cab of one of the trucks. She swallowed hard as the sick sweet odor of the burnt bodies wafted under her nose. She was passing one of the trucks lying on its side, the cab shredded by a near miss, when she saw something lying on the ground. She stopped, shut off the bike and set the kickstand. Walking over to inspect what she had seen, she squatted down and picked it up. It was a cloth; the cloth she had cleaned Ron's face with and he had kept to use as a kerchief. There was no blood on it. Looking down, she could see footprints in the dirt. Three sets of prints were there. One pair were just Ron's size. The tracks led off up the street in the direction she had come. She had not seen Ron, the officer or Andy. Tears came to her eyes as she clutched the soft cloth to her face. She closed her eyes and felt his presence. Somehow, she knew that he was alive somewhere. She would not rest until she found him.

"You there! Courier!"

Kim's head jerked up and she looked around. An Army Officer was striding toward her with a piece of paper in his hand. He came to a halt when he got close and recognized that he was looking at a young girl.

"What the _blazes_ are _you_ doing here?"

Kim stood, brushed some hair out of her face and tried to explain but was interrupted by the officer.

"No matter. Here!" he handed the paper to Kim. "Deliver this to main headquarters!"

Taking the paper from him, Kim recalled that the last time she and Ron had been in London several years in the future, the driver escorting them around had given them a short tour of historical places. He had pointed out where the headquarters had been during the war. Kim knew she could find her way by using landmarks. If she needed help, she would pull out the Kimmunicator. One of the things Wade had downloaded was a map of London during the war, with all the important places marked.

The officer looked Kim over. "You seem to have lost your courier pack. Sergeant Major!" he shouted.

A barrel-chested man strode up to the officer, coming to attention as he stomped his foot.

"Sir!" he shouted as he saluted.

The officer pointed to Kim. "This courier has lost her bag. Do we have an extra?"

The sergeant snapped another salute.

"Yes, sir. Evans had one. Corporal EVANS!"

A short, thin soldier ran up to the Sergeant. "Yes, Sergeant Major."

The sergeant motioned toward Kim. "Give this courier your extra message bag."

The corporal removed a heavy canvas bag from his shoulder and handed it to Kim. The officer stood as she placed the paper in the bag and slipped it over her shoulder. She turned and faced the officer.

"Sir, I was looking for a friend who might have been left behind. I think he was on this truck."

The officer glanced over the truck before answering. "All civilians have been evacuated from the area, either by military or private transportation. Your friend is most likely at one of the shelters. When you get to headquarters, you can check there. They may be able to tell you where he might be. Now, be off with you!"

Kim went back to the bike and climbed on. She set the cycle back off of the kickstand, cranked the engine, slipped the bike into gear and headed off in the direction where she hoped to find the headquarters. She had a better chance of finding out where Ron might have been taken at the headquarters. All she had to do is find the right person to ask.

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December 30, 1940  
8:00 am

"Time to wake up, lad."

Ron opened his eyes to see Hards standing over him with a steaming cup of tea. They had arrived at the house Lord Suffolk used as his base of operations. Ron had been given a room where he had fallen asleep. Before they arrived at the base, Ron had told him of Kim and that he wanted to find her. Lord Suffolk had nodded as he lit one of his ever-present cigarettes.

"I'll call some of my friends in the Ministry and see if we can't spot this girl of yours."

Ron got up and took the cup of tea. Sunlight was streaming through the window as he put on his shoes. Walking out into the central room, he found Lord Suffolk with a number of other men and also a young woman. Suffolk looked up as Ron approached.

"Ahhh, good morning, Ronald! May I introduce everyone: this is Miss Eileen Morden, my private secretary; you already know Mr. Hards; this is Leonard, Blake, Daniel, and Mervin. Miss Morden. Gentlemen. This is Ron Stoppable, the newest member of our group. He's going to be with us for a day or so. He's trying to find a friend of his and we hope to spot her as we do our job."

Mr. Hards patted the seat next to him. "Welcome, lad! Here, have a seat. We have some bread and butter here. Sorry we don't have more."

Ron took the seat and grabbed some of the bread. He coated it in some marmalade and butter and started to eat. He was reaching for another piece when a telephone jingled on the wall. Mr. Hards walked down the hall and answered it. The room was quiet as they listened to Mr. Hards. They could not quite make out what he was saying. He spoke for a moment, and then hung up the phone.

"TALLYHO!"

Ron watched as the men at the table jumped up and ran from the room. Hards stopped as he ran and grabbed Ron by the arm.

"Come _on_, Ron! We have a _live_ one!"

"A live one?" Ron asked as he was pulled from the room.

"Yes. An _unexploded bomb_", Hards answered as he climbed into the van. Lord Suffolk was already in the van along with Miss Morden. Hards put the van in gear and pulled out of the yard.

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The sun spilled into the room where she had been asleep. Kim rolled over on the cot she had slept on. The wool blanket covering her was scratchy but at least it kept her warm. She had found the headquarters building and had gone inside to deliver the message. A woman in an army uniform with sergeant's stripes took the message and placed it in the proper box. A yeoman came by, picked it up and walked off. The sergeant went back to work with Kim standing there. Kim looked around for a moment, not knowing what to do. The sergeant looked back at Kim.

"Can I help you with anything else?"

Kim nodded. "Yes, I am trying to find a friend. He… I mean, we got separated last night and I was looking for him when I was stopped to deliver this message."

"What's his _name_?" the sergeant asked.

"Ron. Ron Stoppable. He's about five-five and, oh, excuse me, about a hundred and sixty-five centimeters. Blonde hair and brown eyes. We got separated near the Cathedral."

The sergeant nodded. "All the people in that area were evacuated to different relief stations. We can check to see if anyone has seen him. Now, you look like you could use a _rest_."

Kim opened her mouth to say something when the sergeant raised her hands. "Nope, you look like you can use some rest. I'll call the relief stations to run a check on your friend. Now, come with me."

The cot she showed Kim was in a room off the main hall. Kim had lain down and instantly fallen asleep. Now she was awake. She sat up and pulled back on her boots. Running her fingers through her hair, she gathered it together in a ponytail, stepped out into the hall and walked back to the messenger desk. Another sergeant was sitting there and looked up as Kim approached.

"Well, now. I hope you had a nice rest. Pamela asked me to look in on you. She told me to tell you that she checked all of the stations and there was no one there by that name and no one fitting that description in any of the medical stations. However, there _was_ a flight officer at one of the stations that mentioned that your friend had gone back into the area, apparently to look for you."

Kim sat back and covered her face with her hands. How was she going to find Ron in a city the size of London in the middle of a war?

The desk sergeant handed Kim a bag. "Here. These messages need to be delivered to the units operating in the area around the cathedral. Get yourself a motorbike outside and while you deliver the messages you can look for your friend."

Kim took the bag and exited the building. A line of motorbikes stood in front of the building. Kim climbed on the first one, cranked it up and headed back for the church area. As she started to pull away from the building, she noticed a van come to a stop beside her. She gunned the engine and sped up the street. "Ron, where _are_ you?" she thought.

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Ron started to step out of the rear of the van after it came to a stop in front of the headquarters building. As he climbed out, he saw a courier speeding up the street in a cloud of dust. Hopefully they would not be here too long. He wanted to get back to that section of London and look for Kim. Then he thought, "Wait! _Kim_ had taken a motorcycle!" However, the rider on that bike was dressed as a courier in a military jumpsuit with a beret. Kim only had street clothes. Ron followed Lord Suffolk into the headquarters building. "KP, where _are_ you?" he thought.

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I am going to end this chapter here. There is more coming as Kim and Ron search for each other while doing what they can to help.

Lord Suffolk, Mr. Hards and Miss Morden were actual people. Lord Suffolk was a British adventurer and army officer. However, his health was damaged by a bout of rheumatic fever and he was unable to return to army service. Before the Battle of Britain, he smuggled a pair of suitcases full of industrial grade diamonds out of Europe. He also hired a steamer and brought back a large group of French scientists whom he billeted at his own expense in hotels around London. He smuggled out on the same ship several canisters of heavy water, which became essential in the development of the atomic bomb. He used his society and political connections around the world to further his cause in assisting his country. Mr. Hards was his driver, mechanic and all over handyman. Miss Morden was his secretary. She followed them on site of the unexploded bombs and recorded the procedures that he and his staff developed in defusing the bombs. Several times an army bomb squad would arrive at a site only to find Lord Suffolk and his group already working on the bomb.

Motorcycle couriers were important during the war. Telephone lines were destroyed or damaged by the bombing and couriers were needed to carry messages around the city.

Kim and Ron are looking for each other. Time is running out. The tunnel will be firing soon and they have yet to find each other. Stay tuned for the next chapter of the London sitch of Tunnel Vision.

The 2nd Annual Fannie Awards are here! Vote for your favorite stories!

This story has been nominated in a number of areas and I thank those who placed the nominations.

Kim Possible and the gang are the property of the Disney Company. I own the idea for this fiction.

Please leave a review, I would appreciate it.


	14. Chapter 14 London 1940 IV

**Tunnel Vision  
Chapter 14  
London Sitch IV**

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**December 30, 1940  
8:30 am**

Kim throttled down her motorcycle as she approached the line of lorries that had pulled up at the remains of the church. Although she had been in just the night before, it felt like it had been weeks ago. She pulled the bike up to the first lorry where she spotted the Lieutenant in charge of the section. Shutting off the engine, she set the kickstand and climbed off the bike.

The officer turned as she approached and handed him the message. He took the note from Kim and handed it to the sergeant standing next to him. "Soldier, do you not know how to salute a superior officer and wear that hat properly?" The officer grabbed Kim's hat and yanked it off her head. Her ponytail fell free and down her back.

"_My word_! It's… a _girl_!"

Kim snatched back her hat. "W-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l observation, Captain Obvious. It makes me wonder where you got your commission. Did you buy it, inherit it or actually _earn_ it?"

The officer's face turned red as the sergeant struggled not to laugh. Kim smashed the hat down on her head and stomped back to her bike. She kicked up the stand and stepped hard on the starter. The engine roared to life as she revved it up. Popping the clutch, she popped a wheelie down the street, then, setting the front wheel down, she roared up the street to her next stop.

Sergeant James walked back down the line of vehicles after handing the message back to his officer. He walked by Private Baker. .

"Did the girl have something to say to our officer sergeant?"

Sgt. James stopped and glared back at the private. "Just how do _you_ know she was a girl?"

Private Baker smiled as he pointed to his chin, which was quite swollen, and turning a nice shape of purple. "She was the one who gave me _this_. Her _boyfriend_ gave me _this_", Baker said, pointing to his left eye which was blackened and closed. "Our officer better be nice to the little lass if that lad comes back around. He knocked me completely off my feet."

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**London Headquarters  
9:30 am **

Kim had checked with a number of the units in the area but none had seen anything of Ron. When she returned to the relief center where she had taken the bike she found that the Higgins family had been evacuated to another section of the city and Mrs. Harrison had taken her two boys back to the country. Mr. Harrison had returned to his unit. She returned to the Headquarters building and went in to drop off a batch of messages as well as pick up some new ones. Everyone seemed to be anxious over something. There were extra soldiers milling around, all armed. Having just finished her meal and make a visit to the Ladies' Room, Kim was in the process of pulling back on her beret as she came out when she literally ran into someone, bounced off and fell to the floor.

"Oh, pardon me", said a voice that sounded vaguely familiar.

Kim reached for her beret that had fallen off and lay on the floor beside her and looked up. Standing in front of her was a man in a very nice black suit. He was not fat but not big. A black bowler sat on top of his head with gray hair spilling out around the edges. A smoking cigar was in one hand. Kim's eyes grew wide. She had just run down Winston Churchill!

The British Prime Minister puffed on his cigar a moment. "_Gentlemen_, I must say that we are _definitely_ improving the looks of the staff with this young lady around."

Churchill shoved his cigar in his mouth and stuck out his hand. Kim took it as he pulled her to her feet. An orderly retrieved Kim's beret and handed it to her. Kim brushed her hand through her hair, hoping not to look like a wreck in front of one of the most important figures of the time.

"Thank you, Mr. Churchill. I'm so sorry to run into you."

Churchill eyed Kim. "It doesn't matter, young lady. Not British, are we? American? Just what is a young American girl like _you_ doing delivering messages for the British Army?"

Kim looked down at her outfit. "Sir, my boyfriend and I were separated last night in the raid after we lost our parents to the bombing earlier in the week. I took this on so I could get into the area and look for him."

"What's your name, young lady?" Churchill asked.

"Kim Possible, sir", she answered.

Churchill puffed on his cigar. "Major Anderson, get a description of the young lad from this young lady and see if any of the units have seen him or have any information on him."

Kim smiled up at Churchill. "Thank you, sir."

Churchill smiled back at Kim. "What's the lad's name?"

"Ron, sir. Ron Stoppable."

Churchill grunted. "Stoppable and Possible, eh? Now that's quite the combination for two young people. Now are you two planning to stay after you are reunited?"

Kim shook her head. "No, sir. We would like to try and get home."

Churchill shook his head. "That might not be real safe right now, Miss Possible. Maybe we can find a couple of safe jobs for you until we can get you home. What has your friend been doing?"

Kim looked at her feet. "Well, sir, he was working with a sapper team until a bomb wiped it out."

One of the officers leaned over and whispered something in Churchill's ear. Churchill nodded and looked at Kim.

"I was told about this incident. A civilian working with a sapper team is a rare thing. He was lucky to survive. I believe he has done his work for a while. I am sure we can find something a great deal _safer_ for him to do. How about _you_, young lady? What have _you_ been doing?"

"I was working at the relief station at Greyfriar's Church. That was until a bomb blew it up."

Churchill nodded again. "So _you_ were the young lady who got everyone out. Major Borne?"

"Sir?" A tall officer with light hair stepped forward.

"Get the word out and let's get that young man found. These two young people have done enough for Britain. Once we get them together, let's get them to safety."

The officer nodded. "Yes, sir." He stepped to the side and put out his arm. "Come along then, Miss Possible. Let's see if we can't find that young man of yours."

The officer put his hand on Kim's back and started to guide her up the hall. Kim stopped and hugged Churchill. "Thank you, sir."

Churchill watched as Kim and the officer walked up the hall. He nodded toward Kim and pointed his cigar. "Gentlemen, if that young lady and her friend are any indication of the bravery of the young people of America, then the Jerries might be in for one _hell_ of a surprise someday."

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**Street in London near St. Paul's  
9:00 am**

Ron stepped from the van onto the side street. Lord Suffolk had picked up some information from the headquarters building earlier that morning. On the way to the site, Charles had called him forward in the van. "Ron, I asked around headquarters. It seems that a red-haired American girl has been is acting as a messenger on a motorbike. She had just left when we pulled up."

Ron slapped his hands on the sides of his head and groaned. "O-h-h, m-a-a-n-n-n! I _saw_ her, _too_! But she had on an _Army suit_ and I didn't _recognize_ her!"

Suffolk put his hand on Ron's shoulder. "Well, we are heading into the same area she is running messages in. Let's hope we can spot her while we do our job. Right now, there is a bomb near an important telephone exchange. No Sapper teams are available, so it's up to us."

Lord Suffolk went under the warning tape and into the building. Ron walked along with him as the others got the equipment out of the van. The rear of the building appeared to have been damaged by something hitting it. A pungent odor came from an adjacent room and Ron followed it through the doorway. Apparently, there were four workers in the room at that time the bomb passed through. Ron turned and leaned against the doorpost, gasping for breath. Howard grasped Ron's shoulder. "Steady, lad. There's nothing that you can do for them now. Let's find the bloody thing."

Ron nodded and followed Howard down another hall. They descended a flight of stairs and then stopped. The stairs beneath them had been destroyed. Howard tugged on Ron's arm and they climbed up the stairs and went back to the room. Ron swallowed hard and stepped through the doorway.

Suffolk was peering down the hole the bomb had punched in the floor. He cursed under his breath.

"Sir?" Ron looked over at Howard.

"The only way to get to the bomb is down that hole and all my men are too big."

Ron looked back at the hole. "I'm small enough."

Lord Suffolk stared at Ron. "Son, you haven't _done_ this before."

Ron nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah, I _know_. I know I should be the _last_ one dealing with this but I'm the _only_ one _small_ enough to go down there."

Miss Marden entered the room. "Lord Suffolk, Blake and Hards want to know what equipment you need."

Suffolk nodded. "Get the tripod with the winch, cable and harness. We'll need to lower Ron here down to the bomb. We'll set him up with a set of headphones so we talk back and forth."

"Yes, sir", Miss Morden said, leaving the room.

Ron peered down into the hole, rubbing the back of his neck.

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**Middleton, Colorado  
Global Justice Headquarters**

"Okay, Captain. Let me know if you hear anything else. We can't get too spread out."

Dr. Director hung up the phone. The villains that Kim had fought all these years had apparently taken advantage of her being gone to go on an attack binge. Killigan was all over Europe. Monkeyfist had been spotted in several places in Southeast Asia. Drakken and Shego had appeared in Canada. Dr. Director had to pull GJ troops guarding the Space Center and send them after the different villains spread across the globe. She did this fully aware that it would weaken the Center's protection.

Will entered her office. "Dr. Director, Dr. Possible called. He's concerned over the number of troops that you have pulled from the Space Center. He wanted to remind you that any disruption of the time stream signal to those two _amateurs_ would strand them wherever they were."

Betty eyed Agent Du for a moment. "I will assure Dr. Possible that the Center will be secure. I would also like to remind you yet again, Agent Du, that Kim and Ron are _not_ "amateurs". Team Possible has done something no operative in this organization has ever done. Yet, so far, they have acquitted themselves very well. I doubt any "amateurs" could have ever survived the first few days, much less nearly four different time periods. Just imagine what they're _going_ through. They have to adapt to each situation as they arrive, blend in as not to call attention to themselves, and _then_ they have to be careful not to change history. Those two have been gone over ten days now. They have faced two wars, one disaster and one significant point in time. Do _you_ think you could have done as well? Dismissed!"

Will saluted, spun around and left Dr. Director's office, his face burning. He had received only two dressing downs from the Director in his entire career at Global Justice. Each time, Team Possible had been involved. _Somehow_, he would make them _pay_ for that.

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Ron held onto the cable as he was lowered into the darkness. The lamp on his head illuminated the bomb beneath him. Lord Suffolk had estimated the bomb to be a two-hundred-and-fifty-kilogram device; not the biggest one in the Nazi arsenal but not the smallest, either. If it went off, it would heavily damage the lines of the telephone exchange. Not to mention that he would never know. One second he would be there; the next he wouldn't. He cringed as his feet touched the floor.

"Okay, I'm down!" Ron called through the intercom around his neck. He unhooked the cable and shined the lamp on the bomb. It was grey and approximately a long as he was tall. He gingerly approached it and examined it from nose to tail. The fins that had been on the rear had been torn off as it ripped through the building.

"Lord Suffolk. I don't see any damage like you described."

Ron held the headphone to his ear as he listened. "That's good, Ron. Now, please call me "Charles". Find the two fuses as we discussed and read the numbers off of them."

Ron inched closer to the bomb and saw the two fuses located on the side of the steel casing. He checked the first one and then the second one.

"Lor… Charles, one says fifty and the other says seventeen."

"Okay, Ron. I'm sending down the tool bag. Grab it and I'll talk you through the procedure."

Ron looked up and saw the bag descending the same cable that lowered him down. He grabbed it and set it down on the floor next to the bomb. "Now, Ron, the one that says seventeen is a clock fuse. Get the stethoscope out of the bag, place it near the fuse and tell me if it's ticking."

Ron got the stethoscope out, put the pieces in his ears and placed the part against the side of the bomb near the fuse. Silently listening for a few moments, he swore his heart was ticking louder than the bomb.

"It's ticking."

Ron stepped back and noticed a liquid container being lowered down.

Charles' voice came over the headset. "Okay, Ron. There's a bunch of modeling clay in the bag. You need to build a jar around the fuse that says fifty. Once you have made the container around the fuse, pour the liquid in the can into the clay container. Keep it full. Now be careful, as that's liquid oxygen. Use the gloves and don't get any on you. When the bomb casing has frosted over at least forty centimeters away from the fuse, we'll take the fuse out. Then you'll use that other special wrench to remove the seventeen fuse."

"Okay, Charles", Ron called. Building the container around the fuse as directed, he then poured the liquid oxygen into it. Minutes crept by as he refilled again and again until the bomb was frosted over.

"It's frosted up."

"Ron, get the wrench I showed you and use it to break off the clay, then unscrew the fuse in a _counterclockwise_ direction."

Ron soon had the fuse nestled in the protection of the gloves covering his hands.  
"I got it!"

"Okay, Ron. Put it in the bag and we will pull it up." Ron watched as the smoking device was hauled up to the level above. Taking the next wrench Charles had shown him, he unscrewed the other fuse. Sweat poured off his head and into his eyes.

He slowly pulled the timing fuse from the bomb. It was a long device, but he soon had it in his hands. He stepped back from the bomb and examined it. He could still hear it ticking. Then it stopped ticking. Ron stopped.

"BLAMMM!!!!"

A narrow cone of flame shot by his face.

Ron stood there stunned for a few seconds. He realized he was still there. The smell of burnt hair came to his nose. He glanced up. The flame had seared off the hair that normally hung down to his eyes. The last time that had happened was the time when Kim had the laser ring. His ears were still ringing from the small blast.

"RON! RON! What happened? Are you okay?"

Ron's voice shook as he answered. "This thing went off just as I pulled it out."

It was quiet for a moment, then the voice in the headphones said, "Okay, son. Put it in the other bag and we'll pull it up. Take the cable, attach it to your harness and we'll get you out of there. The Sappers will come back later and remove the bomb."

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**Street in London  
11:45 am**

The crew van pulled up on a side street in Piccadilly Circus. The men helped Ron out on to the sidewalk. Blake came up to Ron and slapped him on the back.

"Ronnie, my boy, you are no sprog, _that's_ for _sure_. To have that fuse pop off in your face and not have honking shredders means you are no manky knacker. You are a right A-1 oppo! Come on! Let's trouph out!"

Ron looked at the man with a puzzled expression on his face. Lord Suffolk leaned over and whispered in Ron's ear explaining what Blake had said. Ron blushed, then smiled.

"Thanks, dude!" he exclaimed.

The group turned and walked toward a restaurant fronting on the street. The sign on the front read "Kempinski's". A doorman greeted Lord Suffolk and the group. Ron looked around and realized they had apparently entered a very fine restaurant. All the other patrons were very well dressed and regarded the new arrivals with some skepticism. The maître d' approached Suffolk.

"Good afternoon, Lord Suffolk. The usual number, sir?"

Suffolk nodded. "Yes, Henry, but add one."

The maître d' nodded. "Quite so, sir. Follow me."

Ron followed the group through the other tables to a large table with a "Reserved" sign on it. The maître d' removed the sign and motioned for all to take a seat.

"Jason will be with you in a moment, sir. Please let me know if I can be of assistance."

Ron looked down at the menu, trying to decide what was _on_ it. He mentally thanked himself for paying attention to the menu on the Titanic so many days ago. At least he knew what _most_ of the items were. A nice roast beef sandwich and a soda looked good to him.

Blake turned to Ron. "Well now Ronnie, don't you be sweating neaters about this pash of yours with some essence. We'll find her."

Ron's face was blank until Lord Suffolk explained. "What he means, Ron, is: don't worry about that beautiful girlfriend of yours. We'll find her."

Ron nodded. "Thanks, Lord… I mean, Charles." He went back to reading his menu.

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**Street in London  
11:45 am**

Kim pulled her motorcycle down the street, heading for Piccadilly Circus. She had a message for a Lord Suffolk. Apparently, this gentleman had his own bomb disposal group and used his own influence and knowledge to help the British Army research and disarm the bombs that were falling on London and the surrounding area. She had grabbed a sandwich back at the headquarters buildings and had headed back out. No one had seen or heard of anything of Ron. That did not surprise Kim. The city was still reeling from the bombing attack of the other night. They were still repairing phone lines and removing the dead and wounded. Communication was sporadic at best in some areas of the city, particularly the area where Ron had last been seen heading.

Kim rode down the street where the people at Headquarters had told her that she could find this Lord Suffolk. She pulled up in front and shut off the bike. She stepped off the bike and glanced at the restaurant front. "Great", she thought. "This looks like a _really_ fancy place." Kim stared at her reflection in the window. She had put her hair back up under her hat to keep the dust and grime off of it. Her face was dirty, as was the jumper she wore. Her eyes were clean as she had found a pair of goggles, but she sure looked funny with that one part of her face clean and the rest dirty. "Oh, well. The sooner I get this message to Lord Suffolk, the sooner I can get back to looking for Ron."

Kim entered the restaurant and was confronted by the maître d'.

"May I _help_ you?" he asked with questioning eyes.

Kim pulled the message from her bag. "I have a message for Lord Suffolk."

The man nodded as if this was a common occurrence. "Very well. Lord Suffolk and his party are seated over there." He pointed to a large table of people along the far wall. Kim weaved her way through the other tables, trying to ignore the stares of the other patrons. She approached the man who she assumed was Lord Suffolk and handed him the message. "A message from Bomb Disposal Headquarters."

Lord Suffolk took the message and nodded. "Thank you. I will respond after lunch." Kim nodded and turned to leave. She moved back through the tables and out the door. A strange feeling came over her that she had just done something wrong but could not put her finger on it. Mounting her bike, she cranked it up and headed back to the area near St. Paul's.

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**Restaurant  
11:55 am**

Ron came back to the table just about the time he heard a motorcycle crank up out on the street. He felt much better after visiting the Men's Room and being able to wash his face, hands, and the front of his hair. Getting the burnt parts off made him a little more comfortable and got rid of the smoky smell. He sat back down at the table and noticed Lord Suffolk finishing reading some message. Lord Suffolk put the message down on the table and motioned for everyone to eat.

"Let's eat, my friends. Then I think we will head back over to the St. Paul's area."

Ron picked up his sandwich and started to take a huge bite. Then, in the back of his mind, Kim's voice called out to him. "Ron! Don't eat like a _pig_!" Ron stopped, took a smaller bite and started chewing. Somehow, he knew that Kim would somehow find out that he had shown bad manners and he knew the penalty for that.

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**Street in London near St. Paul's  
4:30 pm**

Kim returned to one of the streets that she had been down earlier. She had taken a short break earlier in an abandoned home so that she could get out the Kimmunicator review the street map of the area. There remained a few places to check yet, so she was headed in that direction. A line of lorries were on the street in front of her. She recognized the officer as the one she had met earlier. He glared at her as she rode by. The men in the section were apparently checking the nearby homes making sure that no one was still in the area.

Kim got to about the middle of block when an explosion rocked the area. The blast knocked her off her bike. Bricks, dust and chips of wood rained down. Kim rolled next to her bike and tried to shield her head with her arms. Once the shower of debris stopped, she looked around. Some of the buildings she had just passed were nearly leveled. Several of the men were picking themselves up from the ground. The officer got up slowly and then reached down and picked up his hat.

Kim rose to her feet and started to pick up her bike when another bomb detonated. This one was on the next block. Debris rained on the area as the officer yelled.

"Sergeant! Get the men on the trucks! We've got to get out of here! Jerry has set a bunch on delay!"

The men of the section started to board the trucks when a number of them started to call out. "Sir! Private Baker's missing!"

A yell came from above. "I'm up _here_! I can't get down; the blast took out the stairs!" Kim's eyes followed the voice and saw the soldier stranded up on the second level of a home. The blast had taken off the front of the building.

Another blast shook the area.

"Sergeant! We need to get the men on the lorries and get out of here! The Private will have to fend for _himself_!" the officer ordered.

"_What???_" Kim yelled. "You're going to _leave_ him???"

The officer turned to Kim.

"You, _girl_, need to get _out_ of here before you get hurt. We have to think of the _men_ first. The private will get out _himself_."

Kim growled as she walked to the side of one of the lorries. A coil of rope was in the equipment basket. Beside it she found a metal bar about two feet long. She tied the rope to the bar and set it against the side of one of the buildings.

The officer sneered at her. "Even if you _are_ able to toss that _high_ enough, it'll do you no good. It's _straight_. You'll need a _hook_ in it to get it to _catch_ on anything. Sergeant! Get the men on the vehicles!"

Kim yanked her beret off, stuffing it in the pants leg pocket and let her hair flow free. She planted her feet and calmed herself.

"H-e-e-y-a-a-h-h-h!!!" Kim leapt into the air and hit the bar with one of her spinning kicks. The bar nearly bent double from the blow. Picking up the bar, she wedged it against the ground to finish bending it into a hook. She then grasped the hook and stepped out into the street, scanning the nearby buildings. Smoke and flames started to pour from the building in which Private Baker was trapped. Kim ran across the street and up the stairs into the building next door to the one that Baker was in. Emerging on the roof, she looked down, whirled the hook in an arc and threw it, snagging a beam just above Baker's head. The hook caught fast and Kim yelled down to Baker.

"Grab hold as I swing by!"

Baker nodded and dropped his rifle and kitbag. He tossed his helmet down into the street. The flames were crawling up the side of the building, causing him to cough from the smoke. Kim held tight to the rope and jumped. The rope snapped taut as she swung toward the soldier. He stood with his arms outstretched. She reached out and grabbed him as she swung past, and then gradually let the rope slide through her hand as they completed the swing. As they neared the ground, she released him and he landed on all fours on the street. Kim's momentum carried her a little further as she released the rope, executed a perfect double somersault and landed on her feet.

The soldiers stood around, their mouths open in shock. Kim stepped back to the soldier and helped him to his feet. Then she recognized him.

"_You_!!!"

Baker dusted himself off. "Yes, Miss. I thought if you _recognized_ me you would leave me where I _was_."

Kim shook her head. "I'm not that _way_."

Baker hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should hug her or shake her hand. A bomb nearby settled the matter when it went off. Kim shook his hand and ran for her bike. She righted it and hopped on. It cranked on the first try. She pulled her beret out of the leg pocket of her jumper and pulled it down on her head. She waved at Baker, then, revving the motor, she headed off down the street.

Baker stood in the street watching the girl disappear into the dimming light of the approaching night. The sergeant came up and handed him his helmet.

"Sarge, I think I'm in _love_."

The sergeant looked at Baker, at the departing figure, and shook his head.

"Well, Private, you'd best get your head together and figure out how you're going to explain how you lost your rifle. Now, get on the truck and let's get out of here."

Baker turned and ran for the lorries. The sergeant watched Kim turn up a street and disappear. "I don't blame you, Private Baker. That was one brill young lady." He turned, grabbed onto one of the lorries as it went past and pulled himself up into the cab.

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**Street in London  
5:15 pm**

Ron jumped from the van as it pulled to a stop in front of a barricade. Lord Suffolk approached the Captain in charge of the men at the roadblock.

"Captain, we have orders to enter here see what we can do about the bombs in the area."

The Captain saluted Suffolk, "Sorry, my Lord, but I have a message for you from H-Q. The area is too dangerous. They want you to head for another area for now."

Ron overheard the conversation and hurried over to the Captain and Lord Suffolk. "Hey! Kim's in there! We need to go get her out!"

The Captain shook his head. "Sorry, lad. We've pulled everyone out; even our own lads. If your Kim's in there, they'll get her out."

A line of lorries came around the corner and approached the roadblock. The barricade was pulled aside to let the vehicles through. They stopped outside the barricade and the soldiers stepped off. Ron recognized Private Baker and approached him.

"Hey! Have you….."

Baker's eyes grew wide. "Bloody _hell_! It's _you_! That _girl_ of yours, I just _saw_ her! She was on that motorbike of hers. I saw her not thirty minutes ago right down the street."

Ron looked around and ran toward the barricade. Two soldiers stepped in his path to try and stop him, only to find themselves on the ground. Ron came out of his spin kick and dove into a sequence of monkey springs.

Lord Suffolk watched in amazement as Ron easily overcame the two soldiers with some type of martial arts move and then sprang over the barricade and ran down the street.

Seeing a bicycle leaning against one of the buildings, Ron hopped on and started peddling. His eyes glowed a soft blue as his legs wildly thrashed away on the pedals.

The Captain, Lord Suffolk and the others watched as Ron and the bicycle disappeared into the darkness. They could barely believe how fast he was pedaling.

"God speed, lad!" Blake called out, shaking his head. "I hope that you find that girl of yours! I hope that you two make it so she can crack up on you once in awhile, give you an ear pounding ever so often, and that she will drop a sprog or two for you!"

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**An Abandoned Street  
London  
6:30 pm **

Kim rode her motorcycle down one of the streets where she had been the previous few days, past the rubble of the church and mound of charred debris that had once been the relief center building. Rows of houses stood silent against the reddened tint of the sky. Flames erupted from nearby buildings.

No matter where she looked or who she asked, the answer was the same: Ron was not there. The motorcycle sputtered and she coasted to a stop, set the kickstand and stepped off the bike. In frustration, she threw her beret on the ground and then unbuttoned the battle dress and slipped out of it. The chill night air made her shiver as she stood in the shirt and pants they had given her. Kim pulled the Kimmunicator out of her pocket and pressed a couple of buttons to bring the timer came up on the screen:

00:00:55:04

00:00:55:03

00:00:55:02

00:00:55:01

00:00:55:00

00:00:54:59

A lorry crossed the street near where she stood. She grabbed the handlebars of the motorcycle and pushed it into one of the alleys between two of the homes. She did not want to be interrupted. Troops would only complicate matters. Brushing her hand through her hair, she grimaced: it was limp and more than a bit oily. She thought about it and realized she had not washed in nearly two days. Kim took her shirt in her hand and sniffed. Well, if any of the troops _did_ come by, they wouldn't need to see the motorcycle to find her. All they'd have to do is follow their noses.

Kim walked up the steps of a three-story home that was missing its roof. She checked the front door and it opened easily. Walking into the home, she found the main floor strewn with upturned furniture and discarded clothing. She quickly shut the door behind her when she heard a lorry pull down the street. Kim stood at one of the windows and slowly pulled back one of the curtains a couple of inches. The vehicle passed by and continued on up the street. Looking around, Kim discovered a flight of stairs, climbed to the second floor and walked into one of the rear rooms. A mattress lay on the floor in the middle of the room. Kim plopped down, pulled the Kimmunicator back out and refreshed the screen:

00:00:45:30

00:00:45:29

00:00:45:28

Tears began to trickle down her face. What was she going to _do_? Would the Tunnel find Ron wherever he was and pull him through, or did he need to be with _her and the Kimmunicator_ for it to pull them through? What would happen if she left the Kimmunicator _behind_? If they had to be _with_ the Kimmunicator, then the tunnel would pull it through, leaving _them_ behind. What would they do _then_? What _could_ they do? How would they live as Americans in London during the most destructive war in the history of mankind?

Kim thought of all the times they had been together; the things they had done together. Sure, he got on her nerves, but she knew that he put up with her temper, and her need to be in control. She knew what he would say to her in this sitch: "Go _on_, KP. Get home. Make a _new_ life for yourself." Her trickle of tears turned to a torrent. How could she tell him? For her, there _was_ no life without him. What should she do? _Stay_, or _leave_? _Ditch_ the Kimmunicator, or _keep_ it? "Time travel _sucks_", she thought.

Brilliant flashes of light came through the windows. A series of explosions landed nearby, the vibrations dislodging a shower of dust from the ceiling. Kim covered her head for a moment, and then looked around. How long had she been sitting here?

She glanced down at the Kimmunicator. The screen glowed in the darkness of the room.

00:00:05:02

00:00:05:01

00:00:05:00

00:00:04:59

Kim wiped her eyes and sighed. It looked like her decision was being made for her. All she could do is hope that she could get back to Middleton and use the Tunnel to come back and find Ron.

The door to the house opened. Kim scuttled back against the wall. The intruder stepped inside and closed the door. The floor creaked as he entered the front room. The intruder appeared to be walking from room to room, searching for something or someone. There was a loud crash as whomever it was apparently stumbled over some of the furniture on the floor.

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**An Abandoned Street  
London  
7:30 pm**

Ron rubbed his arm as he ran up the street. He had been pedaling the bike like a madman when a blast sent him flying. His shirt was shredded and his arm bleeding. One pants leg was torn and his leg was scraped raw. Kim was somewhere in the area. He had found her bike hidden in an alley, the military clothing she had been wearing stuffed in the handlebars. However, she had to be blocks away by now. She would be avoiding the patrols, because the last thing she would want would be someone to see her when the Tunnel fired.

He leaned against a streetlight to rest. The time for the Tunnel to fire had to be sometime tonight and he was no closer to finding Kim than he had been all day. In the morning, he would backtrack to the center of the city and hope to find Lord Suffolk. Maybe Charles would help him find a job or something. Hopefully, it would be something a lot safer than defusing bombs. Lord Suffolk had mentioned that the Headquarters Group was looking for a cook. Maybe he could get the job. One thing he knew: Kim would either come back for him or stay in this time with him. She was hard-headed, sometimes ill-tempered, single-minded, pushy, opinionated, and bossy. He was lazy, slack, sometimes slow in thinking, frightened of many things and often times clumsy. Still, the love they found in each other had reached beyond anything they had ever hoped for. Kim would never rest until she found him again, even if she had to chase him down through time. She had two choices: stay in this time, find him and live out their lives here in London; or go on in time and find a way to get back to him. Either way, he trusted her.

Ron heard a car coming up the street. He glanced around and saw what appeared to be an undamaged home. Climbing the steps, he opened the door and slipped inside, quickly closing the door as the patrol car passed by further up the block. The home was empty except for some wrecked furniture and cast aside clothing. He searched for a place to lie down for awhile. He would rest and then make his way out of the bombed area. Ron started to climb the stairs to the next floor and see if he would find a place to lie down. The bombing sounded like it had ended, so he was safe for now. He reached the second level and searched each room, only to find them empty. He turned and started up the steps to the third level.

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Kim held her breath as the person climbed the steps to the second level. The footsteps stopped. She strained her ears to hear, not willing to try and look, lest she be spotted. The footsteps continued, heading up to the third level. She glanced down at the countdown on the Kimmunicator screen:

00:00:01:28

00:00:01:27

00:00:01:26

00:00:01:25

The intruder reached the top of the stairs and then headed into the room above her. The footsteps slowly crossed the room until they were nearly directly over her. Then, in the stillness of the room, she heard the cracking of wood.

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Ron reached the third floor and looked around. The roof was gone in the front and there had been some fire. He stepped toward the front of the home and looked out over the city. He could hear the droning of engines again. The bombers were coming back. Ron took a couple more steps and stopped in the middle of what remained of the room. He stared out over the city for a moment, and then he heard the splintering of wood. The floor beneath him sagged and gave way. "A-w-w-w, m-a-a-n-n-n…", he thought as he fell through.

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Kim scrambled to the side as the floor above her gave way and the intruder came crashing down through the floor above. She pressed herself against the wall to get out of the way. The intruder landed in the middle of the room with a thud and rolled across the floor. A cloud of dust and soot filled the room. Kim jumped to her feet. She knew she would have to take out this person before the Tunnel fired. _No one_ could see her go into the Tunnel.

"A-w-w-w, m-a-a-n-n-n! That _tanks_!"

Kim's eyes popped open. "RON!" she screamed.

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Ron twisted his ankle as he landed. He rolled to a sitting position, gripping his leg.

"A-w-w-w, m-a-a-n-n-n! That _tanks_!" he groaned.

"RON!" He turned, only to be tackled by a female body topped in red hair. Two very familiar lips took his and proceeded to suck the very air out of his lungs. Wherever she had come from, he did not care. He wrapped his arms around Kim and held her tight.

They broke the kiss and then looked at each other and laughed.

"I've been looking _everywhere_ for you!" they said in unison.

"Jinx!" Kim purred. "You owe me a kiss. Please and thank you."

"_With_ p-l-e-a-s-u-r-e!" Ron said as he leaned forward to fulfill his debt. They dove into the kiss and felt the spinning feeling of the Tunnel firing. Their heads swam as they opened their eyes to see the swirling, spinning kaleidoscope of colors that they had come to know as passing through the time vortex. _Now_ where were they headed?

The kaleidoscope of colors softened and they felt themselves falling. They hit dry dirt and grass. Ron and Kim rolled along until they came to rest. They stood, brushed themselves off and glanced around. It appeared they had landed in some grassland along a large stream. They stood at the edge of a small cliff. If they had rolled just a few feet further, they would have gone right over the edge.

Kim turned to Ron as she pushed her hair out of the way.

"Well, we made it out of London. Now we need to find out where and when we are."

Ron swallowed. "Well, KP, I think I already have that figured out. We're in the Old West about the time of the linking of the railroads."

Kim's eyes grew large. "What do you _mean_? How did you figure _that_ out?"

"Well, KP, I only had one date from the Old West in my list", Ron muttered.

Kim crossed her arms. "Well, what makes you think we're in the Old West?"

Ron grabbed her and spun her around. "W-e-l-l, I think _they_ have a lot to do with it!"

Just behind her, a group of Indians on horseback was coming up the slope. War paint decorated their bodies and their horses. Some carried rifles; others had spears or bows and arrows. They stopped several feet away, their feathers shifting in the slight breeze. Two of the Indians got off their horses and stood beside them, staring at the two teens.

Kim backed up against Ron. "O-h-h, s-n-a-p-p!"

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Here are some of the answers to some of the sayings used above.

not have honking shredders - means to not have smelly underwear. I'll let you make your own conclusions.

no manky sprog – not a very complimentary comment about some inexperienced person.

trough out – eat out

A-1 oppo – A very good friend, someone you trust with your life.

pash of yours with some essence – a beautiful girlfriend or more than a girlfriend.

Sweating neaters – to be worried about

Brill – magnificent

Crack up on – lose one's patience

Give an ear pounding – bless out, verbal warning.

Drop a sprog – give birth.

The procedure Ron used to defuse the bomb was standard procedure for the fuses used by the Germans at that time. The German scientists came up with devious ways to booby trap the fuses costing many lives. Ron had a typical one with no booby traps.

The restaurant they ate in was a popular one for that time. Lord Suffolk had a standing reservation and could walk in at any time and get a table. This was an upper class type place and it was often the Lord Suffolk would bring some of his men to eat there. It is not known how the other patrons reacted to the men coming in after defusing a bomb.

Lord Suffolk, Miss Morden and Mr. Hards served their country very well. They became known as the Holy Trinity as they traveled around London. Miss Morden would stand right with Suffolk as he would defuse a bomb recording every move and action he completed. But their luck did not hold out. They found an old unexploded bomb in a marsh near London. They attempted to defuse the bomb for practice and it detonated killing all three.

Kim and Ron have landed in the old west. There will be new adventures and places to see. Kim and Ron will have to deal with cowboys, indians and the railroads. There might even be a guest appearance from a TV show set in the old west. Thanks for reading and please leave a review.

Big thanks to my betas Rufusforever and rancherod. Their assistance has been terrific.


	15. Chapter 15 The Wild West I

**Tunnel Vision Chapter 15  
Wild West I  
By Captainkodak1**

I just wanted to take a few moments to tell everyone how much I appreciate the support of this story and my others. Tunnel Vision is as of this date my largest work. I have had stories with more chapters, but for the number of words this is the largest. If all goes to plan, this story will break 100,000 words. I plan one maybe two more places for them to land before closing out this story. Stay tuned there is a lot more fun and adventure coming.

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Kim backed up against Ron.

"O-h-h, s-n-a-p-p!"

Several more of the Indians jumped down off their horses, forming a rough semicircle around the two teens. A slight breeze caused the feathers in their hair to sway. They stood silent, watching Kim and Ron. Kim had moved to the side and now was standing at Ron's side. The semicircle of Indians opened up for a moment to allow a tall, rugged brave to enter the circle. Several feathers hung from his hair, two handprints adorned his chest, his face covered in white and black war paint. He signaled to the other braves to step back. Kim assumed this was one was the chief since it appeared that he was in charge.

The chief approached Kim and Ron. He was dressed in a breechclout and leggings, with moccasins on his feet. A long spear was in his hand, the point gleaming in the sun. The chief looked Ron up and down. Then he moved over to Kim. He stopped for a moment and traced his eyes up and down her figure. Her long hair flowed in the breeze.

Kim whispered to Ron. "Why do I get the feeling he is inspecting a slab of meat?"

The chief's eyes jerked toward Kim and narrowed.

Kim got very quiet. Ron shrugged his shoulders and stepped forward. He raised his hand.

"HOW?"

The chief stepped back for a moment looking Ron over again. His head jerked back and let loose a withering cry.

Kim grabbed Ron by the collar and pulled him over the side of the cliff. They dropped about eight feet and hit the ground rolling, the soft dirt and thick grass softening their landing. Rolling into a thicket of trees and brush, the two teens attempted to hide from the Indians at least for a moment. Kim grabbed Ron's shirt and pulled his face close to hers. Her nose was about six inches from his nose.

"how?…HOW? Ron what possessed you to say that?"

Ron looked into her eyes. She is seriously tweaked he thought.

"Awww, Kim it always works in the movies."

"MOVIES?" Kim snarled. "This in no….."

A couple of arrows hissing by their heads ended their discussion.

They both looked at each other.

"RUN!"

They turned and started to run through the bushes and down the slope toward the stream. Kim glanced back to see some of the Indians were riding up and down the top of the cliff trying to find a way down. Others stood where they had jumped over the cliff. These were using bows to fire arrows in their directions. There were some close shots, one even cutting a hole in Kim's blouse. Soon they were out of range of the arrows, but knew the other braves would soon find a way down to them. Ron glanced up and down the stream. There was no sign of civilization.

Kim turned to look back up at the cliff. Only two braves remained watching as the others were riding as fast as they could down stream. Kim figured they had found a way down.

"Since they may come from that way we need to go that way." Kim pointed upstream. She took Ron's hand and they started to run upstream.

"Why don't we swim for it?" Ron asked pointing into the water.

"It looks too shallow to hide in, they would be watching for us." Kim gasped. "And they can cross it easier than we can."

"Just asking." Ron yelled.

The two teens continued to run along the rocky edge of the large stream. Gasping for air, they turned around when a yell sounded downstream. They could see a number of the Indians riding toward them. Some were brandishing spears. Others had taken tomahawks or clubs into their hands.

Kim and Ron turned to face them, as there would be no escape. They would make their stand side by side beside the stream. A long straight limb caught Ron's eye. It was about the size of a Bo staff. He grabbed it and assumed his position.

The Indians screamed as they rode down on the two teens. Just the braves approached, Ron ran forward and jumped on the ground in front of the Indians. Their horses reared up as the riders fought for control. One Indian fell off his horse and landed near Ron. Ron jumped up with the staff in his hand and faced his aggressor. The brave was taller than he by several inches and definitely out weighed him. He faced Ron, his metal bladed tomahawk gleaming in the sun. The indian approached Ron with a gleam in his eye as he flipped the tomahawk between his hands. Ron waited for the brave to approach. The wait was not long.

The brave let loose a cry and lunged for Ron, swinging the tomahawk. However, he was not there. Sidestepping quickly, Ron brought the staff down on the brave's hand. The tomahawk went spinning to the ground. He spun the staff in his hand and hit the surprised brave behind the knees. Ron scooped the brave's feet out from under him and sent him crashing to the ground. The brave growled and rolled to his feet only to catch the end of the staff in his stomach. The air whooshed from his lungs and before he could take a breath, Ron had spun the staff again and brought it down on his head with a resounding thwack. The brave fell over on the ground and lay still.

Kim jumped to the side when Ron had jumped under the horses. One of the braves lunged at her with his spear. She twisted to the side and grabbed the spear as it passed her, forcing it into the ground. The sudden stop of his spear catapulted the brave from his horse's back. He landed flat on his back on the rocks of the creek bed. He did not move.

Kim glanced around. "Two down, a dozen or so to go" she thought.

She turned around to face the braves as they spun back to attack again. Two galloped straight at her, one armed with a tomahawk, the other with a war club. Kim noticed a large rock just next to her. As the braves approached, she leapt toward the rock and rebounded off it. The brave on the left looked in surprise as Kim flew straight at him. Her boot caught him in the chest and knocked him to the ground. He tried to get up when a punch from Kim put him down for the count. Three down. Kim turned to see the brave that passed her continuing towards Ron.

Ron saw the brave coming and started to run straight at him. The brave prepared for Ron to jump under his horse again but Ron placed the staff in the ground and vaulted up. His boots caught the brave in the face, knocking him from his horse. The brave landed in the edge of the stream where he lay groaning.

Kim and Ron turned to face the remaining braves. An arrow whisked by as Kim started toward Ron. She heard him scream in pain. Kim watched as he spun around, an arrow sticking out of his shoulder. Another brave passed Ron on his horse and brought down his club on Ron's head. There was a thwack sound as Ron tried to spin out of the way. He took a couple of steps out into the water and fell. The current grabbed him and washed him down stream, not moving. Kim watched in shock as he floated away. She felt iron-hard hands grabbing her. Throwing her to the ground the braves bound her hands and feet. The chief came over to look down at her. He made a motion to the other braves and they picked her up laying her across the chief's horse. Her shirt dampened by the sweating horse as the chief held her in front of him. He grabbed her belt to keep her from falling off and started back up the streambed. Kim watched as Ron disappeared floating down the stream. The other braves pulled the injured onto their horses and followed the chief.

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Ron realized one thing. He hurt. This was worse than when he tried to go out for all those sports. His head had a very good rock group playing in it. His shoulder felt like big Mike had stepped on it. Ron opened his eyes to see a smiling oriental man. The man turned and jabbered in some language that Ron guessed was something like Chinese. Ron turned his head to see that he was on a cot in a tent. The tent flap flew open and a large man walked into the tent. His face ravaged brown by the sun.

"Well young man, it looks like you had a little meeting with some of the local folk."

Ron tried to sit up but his head felt like it would burst. The man pushed him back down.

"No lad, just take it easy. Chen here found you on the streambank with one of them stickers coming out of your shoulder and a big knot on your head. My name is Carson, Carson Powell."

"They got KP." Ron moaned.

"Eh. What did you say?" Carson asked.

Ron put his hand on his head. "KP, my girlfriend, we were…traveling in the area, looking for work and ran into the Indians."

Carson stood up and walked to the tent flap. He mumbled something to someone outside and came back to Ron.

"I've sent someone over to tell the Sheriff here. He will need to know."

Ron sat up and looked around. A bandage covered his shoulder. He stood up and wobbled a bit. Carson steadied him. "You sure you want to get up?"

Ron nodded. "Yeah, I need to look for KP…I mean Kim."

Carson shook his head. "You can't do anything today. We will take you into town tomorrow. The sheriff can get in touch with the calvary. You say the two of you were looking work? Do you have a specialty or just labor?"

Ron glanced over to Carson. "Well, I can cook; Kim could have done a lot of things, except cook."

Carson scratched his chin. "Well, we got cooks but I am sure they could use some help."

"But what about Kim, what will they do with her?" Ron asked.

Carson took Ron by the shoulders. "Now let me tell you. They will not kill her. Most likely, they will just take her prisoner. If she is really good looking one of the braves may claim her for a squaw."

Ron turned to Carson. "Claim her for a squaw, you mean marry her? Make her cook for them, clean up and generally do all that stuff?"

Carson's face gave Ron his answer.

"Ohhhh boyyy, are they ever in for a surprise." Ron mumbled.

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Kim struggled to free her hands but the leather thongs binding her hands behind her back were too strong. A small wooden frame helped to keep her in a sitting position. Several turns of rope bound her to the frame with her feet straight out in front of her and tied to a stake driven into the ground. The ride to the encampment had been uncomfortable and humiliating to the extreme. The other braves had been chattering and laughing among themselves as they rode back. Every once in awhile one would ride by and slap her bottom. She kicked out a number of times, and knocked one brave off his horse. The chief stopped and pulled another leather thong out of the bag that hung from his shoulder. He tied the thong to her wrists, passed it under his horse, and tied it to her feet. The chief had pawed at her hair a number of times. Apparently, her red hair had fascinated him.

When they got to camp, the injured braves slid off their horses and received care from some of the squaws. The other braves yelled and shouted apparently telling everyone about the fight. The chief cut the thong holding her on the horse and flipped her off onto the ground. She tried to kick out at the nearest brave but they had learned the lesson. They stood just out of range and tossed leather thongs on her feet. Two squaws came forward and dragged her into one of the teepees nearby. They had untied her then immediately retied her to the frame.

Kim glanced around. A small fire smoldered in the middle of the teepee. What appeared to be buffalo skins lay on one side. Blankets were stacked nearby. Small clay pots lay near the fire. The chief's war shield lay propped up on the other side. The teepee was open at the top and covered in animal skins.

She sighed as she tried to relax. There was no sense fighting it. She was outnumbered and she had no idea where she was. The Indians learned quickly and keep away from her feet. She would just have to cooperate until she had a chance to escape. The flap to the teepee opened and the chief and another brave entered. The other brave was one she had not seen before and apparently had not been a part of the war party. Two more braves came in and they all sat down facing Kim. One of the new braves had been the one she has kicked off his horse. The other had been the one Ron had taken out. Both of them limped a bit as they entered and Kim could see a number of bruises on both of them. The chief started to speak for a moment to the first brave, then he waited. The other brave spoke.

"My chief wishes me to tell you that you are a strong woman. Your medicine is strong."

Kim was surprised. "You speak English."

The brave nodded. "I speak the white man's tongue."

The chief spoke at length again. The brave nodded and spoke.

"My chief wishes you to know that you will be a member of his teepee. Your name will be Shappa. .In the white man's tongue this means Red Thunder. This is an honor to you. Your man was also strong, the chief regrets that he had die. He was a very brave man."

Another brave stuck his head in the teepee and said something then disappeared. The chief and the other braves talked for a moment then glanced at Kim. The brave turned back to Kim.

"It appears your man lives. He has been seen alive in the white man camp where they are building the tracks for the iron horse."

Kim's heart soared. Ron was alive and apparently in a camp of railroad workers. In her mind, she remembered one of the dates had been the joining of the railroad in Utah. However, the main thing was the Ron was alive. He would stop at nothing to find her.

"Then he will be looking for me. And if you think he fought well before, you just wait."

The brave nodded for a moment.

"That may be true Shappa, but he and any of the long knives will die if they come here."

Kim thought about what the brave had said before the interruption.

Kim asked in a shaky voice dreading what the answer might be. "Member of his teepee? What does he mean by that?"

The brave smiled. "The chief's wife died in childbirth 3 months ago."

The meaning of the words now struck Kim. Her eyes flew open wide.

"You mean…"

The brave nodded. "In the white man's world it would mean he intends to make you his wife."

"Over my dead body." Kim snarled.

The brave smiled in a way that made Kim's blood run cold.

"That can be arranged Shappa, that can be arranged."

The brave smiled in a way that made Kim's blood run cold.

The brave motioned to another who pushed the flap back from the entrance. In the middle of the group of teepees Kim could see a tall pole driven into the ground, the bottom blacked by fire. The brave pulled the flap back down. "Yes, Shappa, that can be arranged."

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The sun was rising as Ron sat on the front seat of the wagon as it rolled into town. Carson had introduced Ron to Maitland Davidson. Maitland was head of the cooking crews for the railroad workers. Except for the supervisors, most of the construction crews were Chinese. They cooked their own meals for the most part, but today a couple of the workers were riding with Maitland and Ron into town for some extra supplies. Lee Chen, the worker who had found Ron was riding in the rear of the wagon along with another worker named Wong. Ron had started up a friendship with Chen. He felt he owed the man for getting him out of the water and taking the arrow out of his shoulder.

Ron noticed a number of cavalry soldiers walking along the street and the wooden sidewalks. Several wagons were on the move up and down the street. Men and women walked back and forth and across the road. A group of soldiers on horseback rode by their sabers rattling and their rifles slung to their sides, yellow kerchiefs around their necks. Ron was surprised at the size of the soldiers. All of them were his size. There were no big men in the unit. Then Ron remembered some of the research he had done on the cavalry. In order to help keep the horses from carrying a very heavy load cavalry soldiers had to weigh less than 145 lbs.

Maitland pulled the wagon up to one of the general stores lining the street and jumped down from the wagon. He entered the store carrying a list on a piece of paper. Chen and Wong hopped off the rear of the wagon and crossed the street. They entered another store on the other side of the street. Maitland waved for Ron to follow him as he came back out of the store.

"Let's go have a talk with the Sheriff, he can get in touch with the commander of the Calvary unit here and see what can be done. Maybe they can send a patrol out after her."

Ron walked beside Maitland as they headed down the street. The board sidewalk they were walking on kept them out of the mud and mess that covered the street. A sign hung in front of a solid looking brick building. Maitland opened the door and motioned for Ron to enter. He followed Ron in and closed the door.

Ron looked around the room. It had a wood floor. Windows admitted plenty of light, but heavy wooden shutter hung on each side of the windows. Ron noticed what appeared to be rifle slit in the shutter. Maitland walked around Ron and up to a grey-haired man sitting at the single desk in the room.

"Hello John."

John smiled as he stood. "Maitland, what brings you by today? You haven't had any trouble have you?"

Maitland shook his head. "Nope, but this young man here needs your help. This is Ron Stoppable. He and a companion were heading into the area looking for work when they ran into Kajika's bunch. Apparently, Kajika was getting ready to raid the camp when they came up on Ron and his friend. Ron told me there was a good little fight, but he ended up with a knot on his head and an arrow in his shoulder. The stream washed him down to the camp where one of my Chinese found him. We never found any sign of his friend."

John stepped around the desk as he extended his hand to Ron. "Well young man you are lucky to still have your hair. I assume since your friend was not found that your friend is a young lady."

Ron took John's hand. "Thank you sir. Yes, her name is Kim Possible."

John gestured toward a couple of chairs. "Well, son I'll tell ya. Kajika has no lost love for any white man. He has been raiding the railroad crews and some of the settlers here for sometime. The cavalry know where he is but without starting a full-blown war, they do not go after him. It looks like now that they will have to do something."

Ron fidgeted nervously. "Well, Maitland told me they probably took her to keep her and …"

John raised his hand. "Yep, I am sorry to say that is what they do sometimes. Now if this Kim is very pretty, then she has a better chance of surviving. But there is a greater chance that one of the braves will take her."

Ron jumped up. "Then we need to do something right now. If they…"

John raised his hand. "Now Ron, let's not go off half-cocked. That will get you killed and maybe her in worse shape. I will send a message to the Captain of the Calvary unit near here so maybe he can do something. They will not do anything to her real fast."

"I can't wait. I need to go get her now." Ron started out the door.

John stood. "Ron, do you want that young lady watching as they kill you slowly. Do you really want her see that?"

Ron stopped. "We have to do something." He moaned.

John sat down, pulled a sheet of paper from his desk, and started to write.

"Willie!"

The door to the rear opened and broad shouldered young man entered the room. Ron noticed the badge on his shirt read "Deputy".

"Willie, get this over to the telegraph office and have Lloyd sent it to Captain Rivers immediately. Then I want you to wait for a reply."

Willie took the paper and went out the front door. Ron watched as he trotted up the street.

The sheriff stood again and motioned Maitland and Ron toward the door. "Now young man, I take it you will be staying with Maitland. When I hear anything, I will send Willie out there to get you. Now let's do this right and we'll get that young lady back real quick."

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Ron sat on a bench outside the store where Maitland had left the paper earlier. Maitland had entered the store and let Ron rest outside on the porch. Ron moved his arm a little and winced. The arrow had hit him high in the shoulder and stopped when it hit bone. Chen had been able to get the arrow out with no trouble.

Ron looked when he saw Chen, Wong and another man come out of the store the two from camp had entered earlier. The new man was quite tall with black hair showing under the floppy hat he was wearing. A vest covered the plain shirt he wore. A tube of some type hung across his back. The three stepped down and started across the street. A group of cowboy met them as they reached the center of the street.

One of them intentionally bumped into Chen knocking him to the ground.

"Watch where you are going slant-eyes."

Chen tried to get up but the cowboy knocked him back to the ground. Wong tried to help but another cowboy threw a punch. The punch caught Wong on the chin and he dropped to the ground. Five other cowboys joined the first two as the other man who had come out of the store with Chen and Wong stretched out his hand.

"There is no need for violence. We will give way."

The first cowboy snarled. "You'll give way alright. Right on the ground." He punched out at the man with the hat.

Ron was surprised when the man easily avoided the punch. Another cowboy made a grab of him but he grabbed he cowboy's hand and twisted it back. Ron winced. Hirotaka had done the same to him one time. Ron jumped up as two more cowboys approached the group. Some of the townspeople had gathered around to watch. There were a number of soldiers watching also, a few of them laughing.

Ron pushed his way through the surprised cowboy and tried to help Chen up.

"Hey boy, just what do you think you are doing?" The first cowboy asked. One of the others tossed the first an axe handle. "Well if you want the same medicine we gonna give these china men then I'll start with you." He swung the handle at Ron.

Ron dodged as the axe handle whistled past. He completed a low spin and kicked out. His boot caught the first cowboy in the chest. The assailant's eyes grew wide as all his air blasted from his lungs. He gasped for air as he dropped the axe handle. The other cowboy started to pull a knife when the other man with Chen chopped the cowboy on his wrist. The knife fell to the ground. Ron found himself in his fighting stance back to back the other Chinese man. He also had assumed a stance. Ron recognized it as one Kim used often. The remaining cowboys rushed the two all at once. Ron blocked one punch so that it missed him but hit one of the other cowboys. He kicked out and caught the cowboy under the chin. The cowboy dropped to the ground not moving. The man behind Ron dispatched two more cowboys with moves similar to those that Kim used. In minutes, 10 cowboys lay on the ground with Ron and the other Chinese man standing there unhurt.

Ron stood up, stepped over and pulled Chen to his feet. Chen's eyes were wide as he scrambled to his feet. He stood and bowed to Ron. Wong got to his feet and repeated the gesture. The Chinese man that had fought with Ron stood at Ron's side as the two of them returned the bow. The four of them headed for the wagon. Ron extended his hand to the other man. "Thanks for the help dude, my name is Ron Stoppable."

The other man bowed slightly. "Greeting Ron Stoppable, I am Kwai Chang Kaine. It is rare to find one here so young yet so skilled in Monkey Kung Fu. I thank you for your help."

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Middleton Space Center.

Dr. Possible sat fuming at this desk. He had talked to Will Du three times that day yet Will continued to send more of the GJ troops to other places around the world. James was slowly gaining a very intense hatred for the man. He realized now what Kim had been talking referring to when she spoke of Du. To say the Will Du was arrogant was being nice. Will had dismissed Dr. Possible's concern with a smirk of distain. "I am a professional Dr. Possible. I doubt you or your daughter would understand what I am doing. After all you and her are just amateurs "

James had to fight to keep from decked the man where he stood. Instead, he stormed into his office to cool down. He sat there for a few minutes watching the staff work at their stations. The big screen displayed the current position and date where Kim and Ron were. Wade had not been able to contact the two of them since the jump occurred. Now that could be good or bad, they just did not know. He turned when his friend Dr.Chen entered his office.

"James" he said. "You better see this. I went back through some of my grandfather's things since he was in the area about the time where Kim and Ron are. Grandfather could not write well but he told many stories to my father who wrote them down. I think you might want to read this part."

Chen handed James an old notebook. James's eye traced the lines of writing until he came to the point Chen indicated. He started to read the words.

"_Today a new friend saved me from being hurt. He fought to protect me from a group of cowboys. I have never known that a young man so young could fight as he did. He is well versed in the art of Kung Fu. I found Ron on the edge of the stream last night. He had been shot with an arrow and hit in the head. He was okay but very worried over his friend Kim. The Indians had captured her. He was very upset and wanted to find his friend. I hope that he can meet with the soldiers and get his friend back."_

James stopped reading as that part he was reading ended; apparently, a number of pages had fallen out.

Chen shrugged his shoulders. "My wife is going through all my father's and grandfather's things trying to find the rest of the pages. She will let me know when she finds them.

James hand shook as he reread certain parts. Kimmie captured by Indians? Ron hit with an arrow? What else is going to happen to the two of them? They had been lucky so far; however, their luck and their skill could run out. They had to get them out and soon. He handed the book back to his friend. "I don't think it would do well to tell the others. Let's keep this between the two of us for now."

Chen nodded and left the office. Dr. Possible sat at his desk for a moment, then picked up the phone and dialed a number.

"Wade, get everyone from the group we had when those people first attacked, I need to talk to all of them."

James hung the phone up for a moment then picked it up again. He dialed another number. He waited for a few moments as it rang. The gravely voice on the other end answered. "Steve Barkin". James spoke into the phone. "Steve, this is James Possible out at the Space Center. I am in need of your help."

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Kim glared at the other Indian women in the teepee. The chief had ordered them to take care of Kim. Taking care of her meant changing her into clothing of a squaw. They also had worked on Kim's hair. They made sure Kim had remained tied up for the most part during the entire event. Kim had fought as hard as she could but the other squaws were quite adept and holding her still as others did their work.

Kim's face had bloomed red when they started by cutting off Kim's clothes. She had fought but to no avail. Her skin had goosebumps in the chill of the teepee. The other women had brought a packet of clothing in and set it on the ground next to Kim. The first part was a buckskin shirt. It was quite soft as it when over Kim's head. They untied Kim's arms one by one and forced her arms through the sleeves. Then came the skirt similar to a blanket and that was tied off at the waist by a leather belt. They put leggings on each leg and tied them off to the skirt. After they had dressed Kim, they worked on Kim's hair. They pulled it from the ponytail it was in and recombed her hair. They halved her hair down the middle pulling the hair to each side. They then braided her hair and tied it off with some ribbon. The braids hung down each side of Kim's head and down her front.

One of the women scuttled out of the teepee. Soon the chief returned to his teepee. The Indian who spoke English came in with the Chief. Both men sat down and looked at Kim.

"Well" Kim growled. "Humiliated me enough?"

The other Indian smiled. "Well, you are now properly dressed as the future wife of a chief. For now you will remained tied. The women will feed you. When you need to go to the bushes, your hands will remain bound and a short strip of leather tied to your ankles. You will be able to walk but not run, nor will you be able to kick."

"Wonderful" Kim quipped.

"Starting tomorrow, you will be taught how to be a proper squaw; you will learn the chores you will be expected to perform. You will learn to gather firewood, work with the leather to make clothing, and the other things expected of a wife. First, you will cook. Sleep well, tomorrow you start a new life, soon you will be the wife of the chief, new blood with fill his home with children." The brave gave an order to the squaws and soon she sat bound to the rack again. Kim tried to shift her legs around as the indian skirt was a little short and she didn't want to give them all a show.

Kim laid her head back and closed her eyes. "Ron, I so need your help."

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Kim is in a spot of trouble. Ron is recovering and working to find Kim. He has a new friend. I don't know if any of you out there remember the show. "Kung Fu" but it was a classic when I was growing up. We are talking about 1973 or 4 here.

I wanted to thank everyone for their support in the Fannies. It was a great contest and truly the best won. Congrats to the winners.


	16. Chapter 16 The Wild West II

**Tunnel Vision  
Chapter 16  
Wild West II  
By Captainkodak1  
**

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Shego stared out over the meadow surrounding the Space Center. A couple of trucks and two school buses from the high school had entered earlier. She really did not care why; in fact, the students would be a hindrance to the defenses, as they would have to protect them too. Shego shifted under the branches of a bush in the shadows of the tree line. Monkeyfist tapped her on the shoulder and pointed to one section of the grounds. Raising her binoculars, she checked the area indicated by him, they had noticed that the number of Global Justice troops had dropped over the past few days. Drakken's cloning machine had finally found a use. Each of them allowed Drakken to clone them. The clones spread out over the world and attacked different places. Since Global Justice was detecting them all around the world, they would pull troops from the Center to chase the supposedly real villains. The force protecting the Center was now a token force. Drakken had intercepted some of the radio traffic and had found out the Dr. Director was supervising the forces chasing the clones. That is when they found out the Will Du was in charge of protecting the center.

"It going to be easier than taking candy from a baby!" crowed Killigan.

Their different groups were preparing to make their attack. Shego would command the main force. She and a number of Drakken's goons would break into the main part of the building and go straight for the main lab. If they could not get there, the target would be any part of the power supply that they could reach.

Killigan and some other of Drakken's goons would be part of the main attacking force. Killigan would use his exploding golf balls to blow holes in the fencing surrounding the center. A number of Drakken's goon who could play golf would help Killigan.

Monkeyfist and his monkey ninjas would be the main fighting force. They would be responsible for fighting any defense force that was there. They would attack as soon as Killigan's exploding golf balls blasted a hole in the fencing.

Shego checked her watch, and then nodded to Monkeyfist. He slid back out of sight moving to join his forces. Killigan would be getting ready for his part. Drakken was back at the lab supervising the clones raising havoc around the world.

Soon, very soon, the groups of villains would unload a load of freak the likes had never been seen. They would strand the little princess and her buffoon boyfriend wherever/whenever in time they were now.

She checked her watch again, and a sly grin crossed her face.

"Showtime!"

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May 8, 1869

Near Promontory Summit, Utah

Ron sipped at a cup of water from the jug off the equipment wagon. The cavalry was coming out to the construction site later on in the day. Ron was supposed to go with them to lead them to the point where he had last seen Kim. For the time being, he and Chang were working with Chen's rail crew. Maitland allowed Ron to work with them as the Chinese workers had accepted Ron into their group. Chen told the other workers what Ron had done. Ron found himself befriended by all the workers. Chang had signed on to the crew that evening before. Ron found his new friends to be hard workers. They had to be. The rail bosses worked the men mercilessly. Many were sick from overwork. Accidents occurred often and there was little medical care. Chen told Chang and Ron of the horrors of building the railroad through the mountains. Many of his countrymen were blown apart in explosions, buried in avalanches, frozen to death in the cold. The Central Pacific Railroad owned the section of rail line they were working on. It appeared all they cared about was building the rail line at whatever the cost in human lives. But that was okay, they really did not care if the Chinese workers lived or died.

Chen was about to hand Ron a shovel when he stopped and shook his head. He turned to pick up a large pointed hammer and gave it to Ron.

"You bigger than most of us, you need to drive nails. Chang be partner."

Chang smiled at his partner. They had spent the evening before going through some of the movements of Monkey Kung Fu. Ron noticed the Chang was careful to keep the sleeves of his shirt down to cover his arms. Ron stepped down the tracks to where they would be working. The crew moved at a steady pace. The two main rail lines of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific connected to the north of them. The line they were working on was a sideline built to go around the main line.

Chang picked up a nail, placed it in a pair of tongs used to hold the nail. A crew of men settled the rail down onto the wooden ties laying on the bed constructed for the line. Chen placed the bracket down to hold the rail down and Chang placed the nail in the hole of the plate. Ron swung the spike hammer; hit the nail on the first try. He missed his next stroke but found his rhythm and soon drove the rail flat against the rail plate. Chang placed another nail in the plate and Ron swung the spike hammer again. Rail after rail, plate after plate, Ron continued to drive nail after nail. Soon the rhythm of the crew pounded along like the beat of a song. Each man did one job and one job only. One crew would lay the rails. Another crew would drop the hardware to attach the rails together and to the railroad ties. The crew that Ron was a member of connected the rails and drove the nails to attach them to the ties.

Ron wiped his brow as Chang handed Ron a dipper of water. Ron took a long slow drink. Chen's crew was taking a break for lunch as another crew came in to continue the work. Ron sat in the shadow of a rail car loaded with kegs of nails and other items needed by the crews. Chang handed him a bowl of noodles and meat. Ron accepted the food and began to eat.

Chang sat next to Ron. "Again, young one, you surprise this wanderer. I have known few white men to eat as you have just eaten. You enjoy this dish?"

Ron nodded. "Yes, my friend, Kim and I, have traveled a lot….." Ron had to stop. How could he explain to this man exactly how much he had traveled? "I mean we have experienced a lot together. We have learned to eat what is served to us."

Chang nodded. "That is wise. One must learn to eat however he can to maintain his energy. You surprise me in working as you have. I have known many men not to be able to complete the work as you have. You seem to have something inside that helps you work and fight."

Ron shrugged his shoulders. "Right now my mind is on Kim. I am really worried about her."

"She is very special to you, is she not?"

Ron slumped a little and playing the dirt with his finger.

"Yeah, she is more than special. She is so perfect, yet she wants to be with me. Some people didn't like us being together but we didn't care."

Chang patted Ron on his back. "She is wind, you are rock. She is action. You are peace. One cannot exist with out the other, each accepting, and each supporting the other."

Chen walked by ringing a bell, calling his crew back to work. Another worker came by and gathered the food bowls. Ron picked up his spike hammer and started to stand up. The rail car behind him jerked as another equipment car bumped it. The load of timber on it shifted and started to fall. Chang spun around and caught the boards before they fell on Ron. As he did the sleeves on his shirt slipped down revealing his arms. On the inside of each of his forearms appeared brands, one of a dragon, another of a tiger. The other workers stared at Chang for a moment then bowed deeply to him. Chang pushed the timber back into position and turned back to the assemble men. He returned the bow, then picked up the bag of nails and his tongs and motioned for Ron to follow him. Ron did not ask his friend what had just happened. It appeared that he and his new friend both had secrets. They headed down the tracks to the end of the line where the other crew was coming off work. Ron was about to start work when the sound of horses came from up the line. He looked up to see a cavalry unit heading in their direction.

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Kim growled to herself as the bundle of wood she was carrying shifted and spilled to the ground. The other women had untied her that morning and allowed her to eat a meal of fish and roots. It was somewhat bland but at least it was food. The women of the camp started to show her what she had to do. They had untied her feet so that she could walk easier. An attempt to run did not get far before they caught her. She would have tried again but did not want to push her luck. The moccasins on her feet were not the best of fits and were soft soled. They did not protect the bottoms of her feet very well. Her feet were used to shoes with soles on them. It felt like every little rock in the area just happened to be under her foot when it came down.

One of the first jobs she had that morning was to get water for the camp. A number of other women went with her after handing her a couple of animal skins. They pushed her along until they arrived at a stream. One of the women showed her how to open up the skin sewn together like a large water bottle, and fill it with water. Kim placed the bladder under the clear cold water and waited for it to fill up. Laying one filled skin to the side and sliding the other skin under the water; she filled the second skin as her hands tingled under the coolness of the water. A hand grabbed her shoulder. One of the other women was standing and pointing to the first skin. Kim stood and placed both skins over one shoulder and headed back to the village with the other women.

Two other women led her back into the camp and showed her where to put the water skins. The same two directed Kim over a pile of reeds and grasses. They motioned for Kim to sit. Kim sat down as instructed. The women showed her how to weave the grass and weeds into baskets. Kim watched the women closely and followed their actions. An hour or so later the two women walked off in disgust. The basket Kim had made put anything they had made to shame. A withered older woman approached her. She grabbed Kim by the hand and dragged her over to a pile of skins lying on the ground.

Kim noticed that the skins were fresh and still had pieces of flesh attached to the inside. The older woman put a large piece of sharpened stone in Kim's hand and directed her to spread out the skin and start to scrape the flesh from the inside of the skin. Kim grimaced as she knelt on the bloody skin and began to scrape at the skin. Slowly she was able to get the inside of the skin clean but her hands and knees were covered in fat and blood. The women she was working with showed Kim how to stake the skin out. She had to drive sticks into the ground in the corners of the hides.

The time for the afternoon meal came. One of the older women directed Kim to pick up a bowl full of meat and serve it to some of the braves. She had to kneel to enter the teepee and to serve each of the braves. They laughed as she slowly worked her way down the line of men. She finished serving the braves and stood to leave the teepee. The chief stood and grabbed her from behind. Kim dropped the bowl and drove her elbow backward hitting him in the stomach. He gasped and fell to his knees. The other braves jumped up and leaped at Kim. She caught the first one by the arms and pulled him with her as she fell backwards. A flick of her feet and he crashed to the ground on the other side of the teepee.

A snap kick propelled Kim back to her feet in time to meet the next brave. He grabbed for her arms. She blocked one arm and drove her fist into his face. The crack of his nose sounded through the dwelling. He screamed and fell to the side. Two other braves approached Kim from both sides; she dropped to her knees allowing the two of them the run into each other. Then she spun and delivered a leg sweep that brought both of them to the ground. One of them sat up only to catch the wooden bowl Kim had used to serve them in his face. His friend caught the same bowl a second later on the back of his head.

Only about 15 seconds had elapsed since the chief had grabbed at Kim. Now six of the braves in the teepee lay unconscious or groaning on the ground of the teepee, the others stared at Kim. She bent over and picked up the bowl she had used to serve the men, and with a flick of her hair, she stepped out of the teepee.

After the meal and after some of the other women tended to the injured braves, they pushed her out of camp and directed her to pick up firewood. She was getting tired. She was dirty and the clothes itched. There was a definite breeze from below that she found uncomfortable. The men of the camp appeared to be getting ready for some type of celebration. Then she realized that the celebration was to be the wedding of the chief and his new wife. The fact that the new wife would be her was not pleasant to her. She had seen the outfit that one of the wives delivered to the teepee earlier in the day. It was a white doeskin outfit trimmed in fur and beautiful beading. One of the other women had motioned to Kim to tell her that the outfit would be her bridal outfit. This was not what she envisioned what she would be wearing when she got married.

Kim dumped the wood in front of the teepee and sat down on the ground. Another of the women of the camp grabbed her by one of her braids and dragged her into the teepee. Kim noticed that there were a number of bowls and clay pots laid out along with some meat and vegetables. The woman motioned to Kim to pick up one of the bowls and start to work. Kim realized that she wanted her to cook! This was going to be interesting for her and the rest of the camp. Kim hoped that they would not string her up to the post after she burnt down half the camp.

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James Possible stood in the makeshift security room Wade had set up in part of the lab. This was completely separate from the main security office. Several monitors displayed parts of the center grounds and hallways. There was a table set up in the room with a model of the Space Center and grounds on it. Barkin stood rigidly at one side of the table watching the members of the Chess Club plot strategies and possible counter offensives to protect the center. They moved figures representing the defenses around the board. They were ready. If there were an attack on the center, they would be prepared to defend the center. They would do it for Kim and Ron.

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"It's showtime!"

Shego creep out of the shadows of the trees and started to move forward. The fence on the other side of the center disappeared in a series of explosions. Killigan stood in the field in front of the blasted fence dropping more of his explosive balls onto the ground.

"It's time to play!" He called out as he struck several more of his detonating golf balls and blasted another part of the fencing down.

"MONKEY NINJAS Attack!" screamed Monkeyfist. The ninjas poured toward the center running through the gaps in the fencing. They made it through the smashed fencing and through the smoke. In front of them, they saw a line of large figures.

"SET, three, twenty four, three set, hut hut hut. FOR RON AND KIM!"

The entire offensive and defensive lines of the Middleton Maddogs smashed through the monkey ninjas like combines through wheat fields. The small monkey ninjas found themselves stepped on and hit before they even knew what hit them. Monkeyfist could only take one breath before Big Mike hit him like a runaway freight train.

Fiske got up off the ground and tried to take another breath. His side burned from the contact. His ninjas had recovered from this first attack but fewer were ready to continue. He turned and waved to Killigan and pointed to the reformed line of football players. Killigan grinned as he started to drop exploding ball after ball to the ground and hitting them in the direction of the football players.

Monkeyfist grinned as he watched the beeping, smoking golf balls land in front of the players. Then the football players stepped back and a number of other students stepped forward. All were carrying golf clubs. The Middleton High School golf team stood and addressed the beeping balls and in unison sent the small packages flying back at Killigan. Killigan dove to the side as the returning balls detonated on contact with the ground. One hit his golf bag blowing it into pieces and blasting his clubs through the air. He gasped as his famed putter landed on the ground in front of him bent in half.

Shego slipped through the hole in the fence she cut with her plasma. The best goons Drakken had followed her through, their stun sticks crackling with high charges. Shego slipped up to a door on the side and burnt off the lock. She was about to open the door when it slammed outward.

"ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK"

A large menacing robot with a long neck and huge jaws rolled out the door. Behind it came a wave of fighting robots. Some had jaws with large teeth, others swung heavy hammers, and still other approached with spinning blades and knives. Shego dodged one slash only to see the first robot bite one of the stun sticks in half. Jumping to one side, she avoided a blow from a hammer swinging robot that took a chunk out of the wall she was standing against. The goons could not stand the attack and ran. Shego looked up to see a number of people she could only describe as nerds standing on the roof. All of them had some type of metal hat on with antennas, and all were working remote controls. She spun out of the way and ran up the side of the building using the running goons as a distraction.

The monkey ninjas formed another attack and pushed the football players and the golf team back. They found themselves facing another line of students. The combined might of the Middleton baseball and softball teams stood ready for the attack. The ninja monkeys threw themselves into the attack only to find out why both the baseball team and the softball team won the state championships the year before. The ninjas had to retreat again under a hail of line drive baseballs and softballs. Monkeyfist tried to rally his forces until Josh Mankey nailed him between the eyes with a very satisfying line drive.

"That's for trying to make Kim disappear during our date. Nobody but nobody is going to hurt Kim and Ron while we can help it."

Shego escaped the robots and found another door. She quietly burned a hole in the door and entered. She slipped down one hall and made ready to make a turn down another hall to get to the power grid. She was just about to stick her head out and remembered the rockets sleds from the first attack. Bending low and peering around the corner she hoped to avoid the sleds. Shego was surprised to see a two tanned legs standing there.

"Well, if it's not the fashion challenged freak, you know K and the loser can be a pain in the butt. But they have risked a lot for us and if anyone takes them down it'll be me."

Shego looked up to see a brunette cheerleader standing there waiting for her.

Bonnie snapped forward, grabbed Shego by the hair, and pulled her into the hallway. The other cheerleaders of the Middleton Maddogs attacked. They had spent the hours before working on their nails. On each of their hands were near razor sharp nails.

"CATFIGHT FOR KIM" they screamed as they fell on Shego.

Killigan and Monkeyfist retreated from the center and headed for the hovercraft they in which they had arrived. Starting the motor Monkeyfist brought craft into the air only to have it stop. Killigan shoved Monkeyfist out of the way.

"Can't you fly this thing right?" He pounded on the controls but they would not respond. The hovercraft took off straight up and started to do loops. It then went into a number of barrel rolls. The craft stopped and went straight down and then straight back up a number of times. Then it started to hover and spin rapidly in place. Finally, it turned upside down and dumped Killigan and Monkeyfist to the ground. The two woozy and very airsick villains looked up to see Kim's brothers standing there with a remote controls.

"Just a little rewiring does wonders for these remotes." They said.

"hicka bicka boo?"

"hooosha"

Shego ran out of the Center through the same door she had just entered. Her face had scratches, sections of her long black hair were missing, and her suit was in tatters. Stopping to take a quick breath, the sound of horse hooves came to her ears. Turning her head, she saw Joss looking back over her shoulder at her aside that huge mechanical horse. That was when Shego realized that the horse had its hind legs toward her.

'Not again!'

Killigan and Monkeyfist were crawling as quickly as they could toward the group of trees where they know Shego hid her hovercraft. They heard a withering scream and looked up to see Shego sailing through the air only to land in a bunch of briars. Shego crawled out and got to her feet but could not stand up completely. The three villains crawled and stumbled to the hovercraft and took off.

Mr. Barkin strode out the door to see the student forces cheering as they watched the hovercraft disappearing over the horizon.

"OK people, let's get this place cleaned up and get back to our positions. We do not know if their will be another attack so let us be sharp. By the way, good job."

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Ron set his spike hammer down and stepped over the rails to meet the officer.

The officer pulled up on the reins of his horse bringing it to a halt. He raised his right arm up as his horse slowed.

"Troop, hoooooo!"

The group of cavalry soldiers stopped and sat on their mounts as the officer dismounted his horse and stepped over to Ron. The officer was just a bit taller than Ron with dark brown hair. An eye patch covered his left eye. The officer took off his hat and wiped his brow with his sleeve. After placing his hat back on his head he extended his hand.

"Mr. Stoppable?"

Ron shook the hand of the officer.

"Yes?"

"Mr. Stoppable. I am Captain Director. I was told you could show us were you last seen your friend."

Ron nodded. "Yes, if you can get me to the stream I think I can find the spot."

"Very well then. Sergeant Major Quincannon, a horse for Mr. Stoppable please."

Ron looked over to see a large man mounted on one horse leading another. Ron hoped that he would not embarrass himself in front of all these soldiers. Riding a horse was one thing he had done before, after Drakken had been defeated during their vacation to her uncle's ranch Kim and Joss had taken the time to teach how to ride properly. He could only hope that he could bull his way through the rest. Ron took the reins of the horse and pulled himself up into the saddle.

Captain Director stepped back to his horse and mounted it. He raised his hand and waved it forward.

"Troop Hoooooo"

Ron guided his horse next to Quincannon. The older man looked over at him as they headed away from the worksite and out over the land.

"So me boy, those savages took your girl and gave you a headache and a hole in your shoulder."

Ron nodded. "Yeah, I figure there were about a dozen of so of them. We were able to knock off six or so of them before I got the arrow and the headache. I don't remember a lot after that until I woke up in the worker camp."

Quincannon sat back in his saddle. "You two took on twelve braves with only your bare hands and you were able to stop six. Tell me lad did you use them same moves that you used against them cowboys yesterday."

Ron glanced over at the soldier, his sleeve covered in stripes.

"You were there?"

The trooper nodded. "Aye me boy, you cost me a day's pay."

The old trooper grinned when Ron turned to look at him.

"Me and the lads had a little bet going as to how long the four of you would last against all them cowboys. You didn't know but those were some bad boys you took care of."

Ron grinned. "Well, dude, I'm sorry I cost you some money but I had to protect my friends. Yeah, KP and I used the same moves and some others."

"Well, I hope the lass can take care of herself. Them savages have been giving us a time attacking the rail crews."

Ron nodded. "Well, yeah, Kim is better at it than I am. It's the Indians I am worried about. They told me that they would make Kim do the work of the women including cook."

Quincannon laughed. "I take it that the wee lass can't cook."

Ron shuddered. "You don't even want to know"

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"This is the spot. They first started chasing us up there. We jumped off the ledge and rolled into those bushes. Then we ran down there and upstream to about here. We tried to fight them here. We got separated during the fight. I remember being over there when I got hit by the arrow. I turned and saw Kim standing about right there. The next thing I remember was waking up in the tent."

Ron picked up a rock and tossed it out into the stream. Captain Director pointed to two of the Indian Scouts with the troop.

"Son of Many Moons, Wind in Hair check for tracks."

The two Indian scouts rode ahead as the troopers took time to water the horses and get a drink of water themselves.

"Here lad, take a sip of this, it'll make you feel better."

Ron looked up to see Quincannon handing him a canteen from the back of his horse. Ron took the canteen and took a great gulp and stopped. It felt like boiling water was going down his throat. He spit the rest out, coughing and gagging. Quincannon smiled as he took the canteen back.

Captain Director stared back at Quincannon.

"Sergeant Major, do you have whiskey in the canteen again?"

The sergeant stammered and leaned forward in his saddle.

"Well to tell you to truth sir, I do have a wee bit of whiskey in with the water."

The Captain reached out with his hand and beckoned for the canteen. Quincannon grimaced as he handed over the canteen. Captain Director took swig from the canteen then spit it out on the rocks. He glanced up a Quincannon who appeared to be noticing the clouds in the sky for the first time that day. The Captain turned the canteen over and poured the contents out on the rocks. Quincannon's face looked on in horror.

"Well, Sergeant let's see how you do on just water for the rest of this trip. You okay there young man?"

Ron nodded at the officer. He was getting the feeling back in his mouth and was getting ready to say something when there was a shout. One of the Indian scouts was pointing to the horizon. Captain Director and Ron stared out over the horizon to see a tall column of smoke rising in the distance.

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Kim pulled at the leather thongs that bound her hands over her head to the post in the middle of the village. Other thongs wrapped around her forehead, chest, waist, thighs and ankles. Smoke burned her eyes and nose. Flames were all around her. She tried to pull away but could barely move. She was in a deep sitch, the deepest she had ever been. The flames rose higher around her. Screams could be heard through the smoke.

Kajika ran past in front of her and gave her a scowling look. He then shouted at some of the braves to throw more dirt on the other burning teepee. So far, three teepees had burnt completely up starting with his own. Things went bad from there as Kim tried to put out the cooking fire and only spread the flames. The braves Kim had decked earlier limped to help as best they could. The women ran back and forth trying to same as much of the camp supplies and belongings as they could.

Kim could only hope that they would be merciful before they set the wood already stacked at her feet on fire. She looked side to side as best she could. Her cooking abilities had done their magic again. She had tried to show the other women that cooking was not something she could do. Back in Middleton, there were serious repercussions in the event she tried. The Middleton fire department already had a special code set just for her. A KPK or Kim Possible Kitchen alert would normally bring out all the fire trucks in Middleton and well as put on alert all the units in both Upperton and Lowerton. The emergency code would also be broadcast to the Forest Service in case there was a need for the Hot Shot crews and all the aircraft that could drop water and fire retardant.

The smoke slowly began to clear. Kim could see movement in front of her. The chief appeared out of the smoke, his hair singed; his body covered in soot and dirt. Standing behind him stood the rest of the village. All of them stared at Kim. Kajika took three steps toward her with a burning torch in his hand. Kim closed her eyes and waited for the pain to begin, hoping that she would pass out before the pain got too bad. She waited and waited. Nothing happened. She could hear the snapping and popping of the burnt remains of the teepees. She could hear the heavy breathing of the chief standing right in front of her. Kim slowly opened her eyes to see the chief standing just a foot away. He tossed the torch away and pulled out his knife. So he wasn't going to burn her alive but just stab her and maybe put her scalp on one of the poles around the camp.

She felt the thongs being cut, releasing her from the post; hands grabbed her and tied her hands and feet together. Some of the braves draped her over the chief's horse that had been brought up. The chief mounted his horse and shouted instructions to a number of the other braves. They ran and mounted their horses. Some of the women made up some packages quickly and handed them to the braves. The chief led the way out of the remains of the village and out onto the grasslands.

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Ron rode between Captain Director and Sgt. Quincannon was the troop cantered across the grasslands toward the rising smoke. The two scouts had ridden ahead and returned saying that the smoke was coming from the area where they suspected that the Indian camp was. Several thought ran through Ron's head as the headed for the smoke. What was happening to Kim?

One of the scouts shouted and pointed toward the top of a rise in the land. A group of mounted Indians was riding toward them.

"Form line draw carbines"

Captain Director pulled his saber from it's scabbard. The men in the troop formed a line on each side of the Captain. Quincannon motioned for Ron to stay back with him behind the line of troopers. Ron opened his mouth to argue then realized he hand no weapons and would be in the way in case of a fight.

The troopers quickly enveloped the group of braves. Ron noticed the first rider as the chief and a bound Kim lying across the back of the horse.

"KP!"

Ron jumped from his horse and ran toward the chief. The Indian chief pushed Kim off his horse where she landed with a thud. Kim rolled over to see Ron running toward her.

"RON!"

She tried to get up but her bindings prevented it. He reached her side and enveloped her in a hug. Kim reached out but could not return the hug because of her bindings. Ron struggled with the bindings until a knife thudded to the ground next to him. He glanced up at the chief who had apparently dropped the knife to him. Ron grabbed the knife and began cutting the thongs binding Kim. He cut the last binding as she stood and wrapped her arms around his neck kissing him. Ron dipped her back taking her under her arms and behind her knees and lifted her into his arms. Kim relaxed, and with a satisfied smile snuggled into his chest. Ron started to take a few steps back headed for his horse.

The chief began to speak, pointing to Kim, then Ron, then back at his camp. He also pointed out a number of the bruised braves that were with him. The chief spoke for a minute then went silent. He dismounted his horse and waited beside it. The other braves did the same.

Captain Director came up to Ron's side with one of the Indian scouts with him.

"Miss Possible, it is good to see you are well. Mr. Stoppable, the Chief Kajika here has just given you a high compliment and an invitation."

Ron turned with a look of surprise on his face. The scout stepped forward.

"Chief Kajika says the Red Thunder is a strong woman. She is a great fighter with a strong will. He is willing to pay you to take her back."

Kim lifted her head. "PAY TO TAKE ME BACK!"

The scout smiled and addressed Ron. "Red Thunder caused more damage and defeated more braves than any natural disaster that has befallen his tribe. He said that you should be proud of her but to never, never let her ever cook. He offers many pelts to take her back."

Ron started to giggle for a bit.

"Can I think about it?"

The glare from Kim and the growl from her throat informed him that she did not care for his humor. He bent down and gave her a quick kiss.

"Just kidding KP." He whispered.

She whispered back to him with a little smile.

"Another kid like that and you will never have kids."

She returned his kiss then stretched her legs to get down. Ron set her down and she stood beside him snuggling under his arm.

The scout stepped over and patted Ron on the back.

"He also said that any brave with a will strong enough, any brave strong enough to fight at the side of Red Thunder is truly an honored brave. He is tired of fighting and wishes to surrender to the army. However, he wishes to have the honor of celebrating with a brave's brave. He asks that you and Red Thunder return to his camp so that they may honor you. After the celebration and ceremony, he guarantees your safety back to the camp of the workers for the iron horse."

Ron turned to look over at the Captain. .

Captain Director nodded as he took off his gloves.

"I don't see why not. Chief Kajika may be difficult to deal with, but is word his better than any man I know. I will leave the scouts to watch over you, and we will stay here."

Ron glanced down at Kim. "You up to it KP?"

Kim nodded. Ron had fought for her, nearly losing his life. If he was to receive an honor, nothing could stop her from going.

Ron looked over at the Chief and nodded.

The chief smiled and turned to the rest of the braves. He shouted a number of instructions to them. Two immediately jumped on their mounts and rode back in the direction of the camp. The scouts lead Ron's horse up to him. Ron mounted and pulled Kim up behind him. The chief mounted his horse and pulled it up beside Ron. They started across grassland in the direction of the camp.

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Greetings everyone. Ron has gotten Kim back. The Indians appeared more than willing to get rid of her. I wonder why. Several braves singing soprano, and quite of few teepees burnt down might have something to do with it. I think the Chief figured he might live longer without her in camp. They are heading back to the camp for a little celebration.

I hope that you enjoyed this next chapter of "Tunnel Vision." Please leave a review. I would really appreciate it.


	17. Chapter 17 The Wild West III

**Tunnel Vision  
****Chapter 17  
****Wild West III  
****By CaptainKodak1 **

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Ron smelled the smoke before he could see the camp. Kim glanced around, a bit nervous. She had tried so hard to get out of this place and here she is riding right back in willingly. Chief nodded to the two of them as they entered the campsite. Ron noticed the burnt remains of a number of teepees were scraped to the side. New teepees were been built as they rode in. The women were gathering more wood and the children sent to get water. There was meat being cooked over fires and were pots full of boiling water.

Chief stopped his horse and slid off. He turned to Ron and Kim and motioned for them to get down. He said something quietly as he motioned to Kim and then pointed to Ron and motioned to another teepee.

Wind in Hair rode up. "Chief Kajika asks that you to get down and prepare for the celebration."

Ron got down off his horse and helped Kim down.

"What does he mean prepare for the celebration?"

Wind in Hair gestured to two separate teepees.

"He has prepared places for you to wash and change. For Shappa, a new outfit. For you, an outfit befitting a brave of this clan."

Ron stopped for a moment. "A new outfit?"

He glanced around looking at the breechclouts and shirts of the other braves and turned slightly pale.

Wind in Hair nodded. "Do not worry, you may remain in your clothes but the chief wishes to give you something else to wear. I will accompany you. Shapa will be given the honors of the chosen of a brave."

Two of the women who had treated Kim well came over and took her by the hand and lead her to one of the standing teepees. Kim crawled into the teepee to see the english speaking brave sitting there with a package wrapped in a deerskin. He stood as she entered.

"Greetings, Shapa, I will not stay but the chief wishes you to have this. He hopes that you will wear it tonight to honor your friend."

Kim took the package and opened it. Her eyes grew wide when she recognized the outfit that was supposed to be her wedding outfit.

The brave smiled. "He hoped that you would want to look well for your friend."

Kim smiled and nodded. The brave turned and left as the two women entered. They oohhed and ahhhed over Kim's outfit and started to help her get dressed.

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Ron was waiting outside of the teepee he had changed in. They had given him a beaded chest plate and a cloth belt. Wind in Hair stood with Ron and the door flap of Kim's teepee pulled back. Kim stood up and Ron nearly fell over. She was dressed in a white doeskin outfit. It was trimmed in fur and was covered in intricate beadwork. Her hair had been brushed to it's fullest and had two feathers tied into it.

"Booooyaaahhh" Ron whispered.

Kim lowered her eyes as she walked up to Ron. The sun was low in the west and it cast a red glow across the landscape. She brought up her eyes to look at him. The beaded vest was exquisite. His brown eyes seemed to glow in the light of the setting sun. The braves of the camp formed two lines toward the central fire. They began to chant and sing as Kim and Ron began to walk to the place where the chief stood. The braves filed in behind the two teens as they approached Kajika. He pointed to a spot where a number of furs had been laid on the ground. Ron sat down Indian style while Kim sat next to him gathering her legs under her. Ron marveled at the way the sun made her hair seem to be aflame.

Wind in Hair sat on the other side of Ron as the food was placed before them. There was deer meat, rabbit, buffalo. There were also something like potatoes and other vegetables. Kim placed the bowls in front of Ron first, then took some from the bowl after he was served. They ate together slowly as the braves began to dance and eat around them. The sunlight dimmed and the flames of the fire grew higher and higher. The braves continued to dance around the fire as two stepped over to Ron and lifted him to his feet. They prodded him into the circle and motioned for him to follow their actions. Ron moved in step touching the ground with his toe then bringing down is heel with the beat of the drums. Soon Ron was spinning with the rest of the men as they danced around the fire. The beat came to a stop and Ron came back to sit beside Kim.

Kajika stood and began to speak. The Indian guide translated as he spoke.

"My brothers, at the rising of the sun two days ago our war party came upon two white people. They tried to escape and when they could not they turned to fight. They had no weapons yet this brave and this woman defeated 6 of our best braves. Then this brave turned and even though injured he still tried to fight to the aid of his mate. This woman fought until she was overpowered and even then she tried to escape. Then we heard that this white man fought against other white men to aid those of the yellow skin who are building the tracks of the iron horse. This woman, so brave and strong went to this brave for comfort. Truly this man is a brave to be honored. So tonight my brothers, we ask that the name of Qaletaqa be given this brave of the hair of straw."

The other braves started to yell and beat on the ground.

Wind in Hair whispered to Kim and Ron.

"His name amoung this tribe is now Qaletaqa, which means Guardian of the people."

Kim reached over and placed her arm through Ron's. She had never been as proud of him as she was at this moment.

Kajika turned and called. "Shapa, Qaletaqa" He motioned for them to join him. Two braves stood and stepped up behind Ron. Two other women stood and stepped up behind Kim. The chief motioned for Kim and Ron to face each other and he began to speak, then he reached out and took their hands and joined them. He spoke for a moment longer then took a leather thong and wrapped it around their hands. He spoke at Ron as if he was asking a question. Ron didn't know what else to do but nod. The chief turned to Kim and asked in the same manner. Kim thought it was to honor Ron so she nodded. The chief raised his hands into the air with an exclamation and the whole camp began to dance. Kim and Ron were pulled into the circle of dancers. They followed the lead of the other dancers as they circled the bonfire..

The dance ended and Kajika stood to speak again. Kim and Ron returned to their place near the fire. The furs felt good as they sat down. The fire was burning low as the other braves took their places around the fire. Kim struggled to keep her eyes open.

Kajika spoke for a few minutes then glanced over at Wind in Hair to translate.

Wind in Hair pointed to a new teepee.

"The Chief asks that you spend the night. A good night's rest would be good for both of you. This teepee is ready for you as his guests. You will not be disturbed. I will take you back to the Calvary Camp in the morning."

Ron stood and helped Kim to her feet. The braves and the women stood and cheered as Kim and Ron walked over to the new teepee and crawled in. Looking around there was a small fire burning in the center along with a pile of furs on the far side. Ron spread a couple of the furs on the ground and lay a second to the side. Kim rolled two small furs into two pillows and laid them on the pallet of furs. She laid down resting her head on her makeshift pillow. Ron did the same and pulled the other fur over the top of the two of them Kim sighed and snuggled up to Ron. He pulled Kim close as they both nodded off to sleep.

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**Next Morning **

Kim and Ron were stiff but happy. The members of the tribe showered them with gifts as they left the camp the next morning. Ron received a bow and quiver of arrows as well as a buckskin outfit. Kim received another doeskin outfit and much to her chagrin a papoose board. Chief Kajika gave Kim a horse so she could ride back to the Calvary camp. Wind in Hair led them out of the camp and toward the site where the Calvary troop was camping. Kim stopped her horse and they put all their gifts on one horse and Kim climbed on behind Ron. They rode for a few moments when Kim turned to the guide.

"What was that second ceremony? Did they honor Ron twice?"

Wind in Hair shook his head and smiled. "No Shapa, the second ceremony honored both of you. The Chief married you. It was a marriage ceremony."

Ron pulled the horse to a stop too quickly causing it to rear, dumping the two of them to the ground.

They rolled up off the ground and looked up at the Wind in Hair.

"HE MARRIED US? WE'RE MARRIED?"

Wind in Hair laughed.

"Yes of course, why do you think he gave you that teepee to sleep in just the two of you?"

Kim's face turned red. "You mean they thought we were going to…."

The guide nodded. "That's what most people do on their wedding night."

Kim looked over at Ron and he looked at Kim. Both of their faces turned bright red. Then Ron started to giggle a little and Kim broke out in a laugh. Ron climbed back on the horse and pulled Kim back up behind him.

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Mr. Possible sat back in his chair watching his lab assistants monitor the equipment. There had been a slight power spike during the battle, however nothing was damaged and somehow, Shego's radiation was absorbed into the power grid and actually made it stronger. That meant a stronger signal to Kim and Ron. James scratched Rufus' head as he lay in his lap. Rufus grunted in pleasure then turned over so James could rub his stomach. Wade's face popped up on the computer screen.

"Everything is repaired and back up to full strength. There is now a full complement of Global Justice troops on site."

James turned his seat so he could face the screen. Rufus jumped up and crawled up on James shoulder and mumbled while shaking is paw. James glanced over at him and opened his mouth to speak. Wade raised his hand on the screen.

"No need. I have started to understand Rufus now. He basically gave his opinion of Will Du."

Mr. Possible face turned dark at the mention of Will's name.

"and just what will happen to Mr. FU Du?"

Wade typed on his keyboard.

"Well, Dr. Director was not pleased in the manner that he handled things. It seems that he will be on her bad list for quite some time."

James brought his hands up under his chin.

"Did Betty release Du's physical statistics?"

Wade shook his head.

"No, but she did make a file with all the data in it and has it in an email ready to sent to you. She told Du what the file contained and what you might do with that information.

James smiled a bit.

"Maybe I need to send him a jpg of one of the seats over in the "Black Hole". The same one that I fooled Ron with that time."

Ann walked in.

"Some of the students had some cuts and bruises. The cheerleaders, Bonnie included needed their hands taken care of. Some of them broke their nails pretty badly. Mr. Barkin took all of them back to the school after the new troops arrived."

Ann picked up Rufus and cradled him in her arms, rubbing him. Tears started to flow down her face.

"James, how much longer? How much longer will my baby be out there? "

Dr. Possible twisted in his seat to look at his wife.

"I don't know Ann, I just don't know. There is only one set of dates left in the computer. If we can keep the system running for just a bit longer then maybe it will call them home."

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Kim held the reins to her horse lightly in her hand. Her light cotton shirt and blue jeans felt a lot better than the outfits she had been wearing. At least the new outfit was not quite as drafty. She and Ron rode up the creek to where they had first fought the Indians. Earlier that morning, Wind in Hair had led them back to the army camp. Captain Director let Kim use his tent to change. The soldiers pooled together some extra clothes for her to wear. After Kim had changed he gave them another horse, directions back to the creek and back to town. Then the troop headed down into the Indian camp to take the chief and his people back to the reservation.

Kim felt the package behind her bump into her backside. It was the outfit the chief had given her. Beside her was an extra horse being led by Ron as he rode on his horse. The packhorse walked along with a pile of furs on its back. The furs were a gift from the chief and his people to Kim and Ron.

Kim pulled her horse to a stop and slid off its side. She tied the reins to a limb and strode into the clump of brush were she and Ron had first hidden from the Indians. Ron dismounted his horse and tied the reins to another tree. Kim started to push the grass and brush to the side. Ron stopped and listened as the wind sighed through the tree limbs. Kim hesitated for a moment then turned around.

"be be be beep"

They could barely hear the tones.

"be be be beep"

Ron turned and stepped over to a log. He remembered pulling Kim down behind it to avoid a volley of arrows.

"be be be beep"

Kim joined him listening and looking, then a little bit of blue shone from under some bark. Kim brushed the bark away the reveal the Kimmunicator. Kim sat down in relief. Ron joined her as he put is arm around her.

Kim activated the device, the screen showed a number of messages waiting for them. They read each of the messages while sitting there in the shade. One of the reports told of the attack and how the students protected the Center. Kim grumbled under her breath when they read the part about Shego leading the attack. Ron sat back and thought for a moment. A smile crossed his face for a moment then he leaned over to whisper something in Kim's ear. She listened for a moment, glanced at him then over to the pile of furs. A big smile that matched Ron's spread across her face.

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Shego shuffled through the lair in a new jumpsuit. The blow to her dignity was not as bad as it was the first time. However, group of cheerleaders had left their marks all over her. The jumpsuit had been thrown away. It was nearly torn to pieces. Shego's arm's and face revealed a number of long scratches. Luckily, Shego had fought them off when it came to hair pulling. Even so a trip to the stylist would be needed to repair the damage that had been done. Duff and Monkeyfist returned to their own hideouts after they arrived back at the main lair.

She was reaching for a coffee mug when there was a banging on the hangar door to the lair. Grimacing, Shego walked over and pushed the button to open the hangar door. Standing at the rear of the truck stood the young attorney that helped Drakken when everyone else was sick.

The young man waved at her.

"Greetings, Hank Perkins at your service. I have been asked to deliver this package to you at this place and at this time. I must say this has been an interesting day. This box has been in the care of various attorneys for over a hundred years."

Shego looked at Hank.

"A hundred years, you gotta be kidding. Who knew me back then? How did they know I would be here?"

Hank shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know, but my firm has been directed to deliver this package to you and you only on this date. Sign here please."

Hank handed her a clipboard with a shipping bill on it. Shego signed it and handed it back to him.

Two workmen pushed the box and dolly onto the lift gate of the truck and lowered it to the ground. Wheezing and grunting they pushed the large box into the hangar bay, then tossing a crowbar to the floor both men eyed Shego as they turned to leave. Hank climbed up on the rear of the truck as it pulled away from the lair.

"Remember. I am Hank Perkins, attorney to the supervillians."

Shego shut the lair hanger door and walked over to the box. It was definitely old. She waved at two of the henchmen to use the crowbar to open it. Soon the crating was gone along with the packing material. It appeared to be a large metal safe. An envelope was hanging from the handle in front. On the front of the envelope was "To Shego"

Drakken opened the envelope and showed her the contents. It was a single sheet of paper with the combination to the safe. He glanced at her and she nodded. Soon he was pulling on the door. It creaked as it slowly opened. There were a number of small doors at the bottom along with two large ones in the top.

Shego tried to open the top doors. They remained closed.

She tried the smaller bottom doors. They opened easily. Inside at the back was another envelope with what appeared to be money sticking out. Shego grabbed the envelope and pulled it out. She stopped when she noticed a string attached to the envelope. There was a whirring noise and a number of clanks. The two main doors popped open and a wave of thick black liquid poured out covering her head to foot. Shego slipped and fell back and sat down the middle of the viscous mass. Growling she wiped her face clear and grunted and she pushed the heavy mass of her hair back over her shoulder. She sat for a moment and sniffed.

"MOLASSES?" She screamed.

A tray in the safe popped open. Shego cringed back wondering what else would come out of the device. Drakken tiptoed around the slowing spreading pool of molasses, glanced in the tray and reached in to pull out a large envelope. He carefully checked to make sure this envelope was not a trap too. Pulling it clear of the tray he opened it as Shego stood and snatched it from him. Inside were an old picture and a letter. She glanced at the picture and her eyes grew wide. It was Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable. They were both dressed in old west garb, being light shirts, jeans and boots. Kim was seated with Ron standing behind her. Stacked around them were piles of furs and a number of Indian outfits. Shego unfolded the letter and began to read.

'_Shego, _

_We don't really know where we will be when this gets to you. We do know that you tried to strand us in time. Ron came up with this idea to send you a little message. You know he may be weird sometimes but I like weird and I must say there was no better way to get our message across. That message is don't mess with people who can mess with your ancestors. Tell Drakken he can make a Molasses sundae along with a big cup of CocaMoo. _

_Don't try anything again, _

_Kim and Ron.' _

Drakken smiled as he read the letter along with Shego.

"MMmmmmmm, a Molasses sundae and Cocamoo now that sounds……"

He hesitated when the smell of burning molasses came to his nose. He glanced to the side to see Shego's eyes green with fire. Drakken thought for a moment, placed the picture and letter back in the safe and walked quickly back to his lab.

Shego turned a slogged her way back to her room. She noticed the two goons were still standing there looking at her.

"Well, get this mess cleaned up and if I hear one word about this from ANYONE it's gonna be FIRE IN THE HOLE!"

The two goons disappeared to find whatever they needed to clean up the mess. Shego continued toward her room leaving behind a long trail of smoldering molasses.

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It was late evening as Kim and Ron walked arm in arm up the sidewalk toward the hotel where Kim had a room. Kim laid her head over on his shoulder.

"You know Ron, even after that little gift we sent Shego, we still have enough money for you to have a room too."

Ron squeezed her arm.

"I know KP, but it's easier to remain a low profile this way. Tomorrow we can talk to Maitland and see if we can get you a job. I'll go back with the rail laying crew while we wait for the tunnel to fire. That money is not going to last long."

Kim cuddled up closer to Ron.

"Yeah Wade said with everything that went on they are not sure when the tunnel will fire. But I really hope we can be there when they drive the spike that day."

Ron nodded.

"Yeah, from what I hear the big bosses are on there way. The man for the Union Pacific got delayed. Apparently he hasn't paid his workers and they aren't letting him by until they get paid."

Kim laughed. "Serves him right. You know Ron; we are going to have a lot of explaining to do when we get back home. And so help me I can't believe I am saying this, but we will have a lot of people to thank including Bonnie."

Ron pulled Kim a little closer.

"Yeah, I know."

The two teens continued on up the walk and passed a number of soldiers standing outside of a bar. One of them sneered at Kim as the two passed.

"That's the girl that got hers from….."

Ron whirled and faced the soldier.

"Just what did you say?"

The soldier stood,

"I just said your girl there must be pretty good, I mean she did get it from the chief and everyone knows he always picks the best for himself."

Ron's fist flashed before Kim ever saw it moving. The soldier was just a little taller than Ron and outweighed him by at least 20 lbs. Ron's fist caught the man just under his chin. The blow snapped his head back and he stumbled back into the arms of his friends. The man stood and wiped his face. He took a couple of step toward Ron when Quincannon stepped out of the saloon.

"Just what is going on here?"

One of the other soldiers pointed to the soldier then to Kim and Ron.

"Trooper Davis here said something about the lad's girl Sergeant."

Quincannon turned and looked at Davis.

"Did he now? And just what did Trooper Davis have to say?"

The other trooper glanced around the group and looked at the ground.

"He said the girl must be pretty good to be plucked by the chief."

Quincannon grimaced at the comment then looked at Ron and the trooper.

"Soldier's fight, the corral, 10:00 o'clock."

The burly sergeant faced Ron. "Lad, that means if you wish to defend your actions and your girls honor be at the corral. We will settle this according to the Marquis of Queensbury Rules."

Ron glared at the trooper.

"I'll be there."

Kim grabbed Ron by the arm and spun him around.

"Ron, are you crazy, that guy will tear you apart!"

The trooper and his friends started laughing.

"Listen to your girl boy! Maybe she'll give you some of what the chief got!"

Ron turned to Kim. She could see the pain in his eyes.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence Kim. Let's go."

Kim started to speak, then saw Ron's expression. She had belittled him in public while he was trying to stand up for her. He walked off, leaving her by herself.

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Ron stepped out of the darkness into the light of the lanterns that hung from several of the posts near the corral. He had left Kim on the sidewalk, no matter what she thought he was going to stand up for her. Even if this soldier pounded him into the ground, he would go down fighting for her, even if she didn't believe he could do it.

Quincannon saw Ron step out of the darkness. The trooper standing around became quiet. A number of them parted allowing Ron to see an area had been lined off by ropes on the ground. The trooper that had spoken about Kim stood on the far side of the area with his shirt off. Ron walked over and entered the area and stood there.

Davis stepped over to Ron.

"Think you can fight like a man or like one of them yellow china men?"

Ron swallowed facing the man.

"Try me!"

The troopers surrounding the area stepped up to the ropes on the ground. Quincannon stepped into the ring. "Okay lads, we shall be fighting according to the Marquis of Queensbury rules."

The sergeant kicked Davis. "None of this."

Then the sergeant grabbed Davis by his ears and raked his hands down. "None of this and none of this." Quincannon finished by stomping on the trooper's foot.

The sergeant stepped back and glanced at the two young men. Ron lifted his fist and waited. Quincannon dropped his hand and the fight began. Davis advanced toward Ron and threw a right. Ron blocked it and retreated. The trooper threw another right followed by a left. Ron blocked both of them and threw a punch of his own. His punch got through and snapped the trooper's head back. The other soldiers started to hoot and catcall as Ron was the first to land a blow. The trooper charged at Ron throwing punches.

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Ron stumbled a bit. So far there had been four rounds. Davis quickly found out that Ron was not going to be a push over. However the trooper was using his experience to slowly take Ron apart. Ron's black eye and split lip was testament to the beating he was taking along with a couple of ribs he was sure were cracked. Davis approached again smiling. A flurry of blows came so fast that Ron was able to block only a few of them.

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Kim's heart was in her throat as she saw the man she loved taking a beating. A beating he was taking for her, a beating that she had ridiculed him about taking. She felt a shame that she seldom felt. Ron had always supported her, now when he was protecting her she had all but laughed at him. A small cry came to her lips as she saw Ron fall to the ground. Standing, she took two steps toward the door to the loft to go to his defense. However a hand came out of the darkness to grab her arm. She spun and threw a kick at the head of the shadow. Kim was surprised when she found herself lying in the straw.

The figure stood over her and extended it's hand. A soft voice came to her ears.

"I am Kane, a friend of your friend. I ask you not to interfere. He must fight this fight on his own. Do not shame him by stopping it or trying to help."

Kim allowed herself to be pulled to her feet. Her eyes focused on the man standing in front of her. This man must be the one that Ron had mentioned at supper, the one that knew Kung fu.

"You are Kim. Ron has spoken of you often. He has spoken the truth as to your beauty and your own ability at the art of defense."

Kim blushed in the darkness then turned when a round of cheering was heard outside. She and Kane glanced back out of the barn. Kane watched Ron intently.

"Your companion's eyes just flashed blue. He has shown the ability of a Monkey Master. Could if be that he is truly a master?"

Kane turned to see a bright smile on Kim's face.

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Ron wiped the blood from his lip and continued to face the trooper. He was losing and he knew it. If he didn't do something quick the Davis would win and he would have to face Kim in failure. Failure he could live with, but he was fighting for Kim now so losing was not an option. They said he could not use Kung Fu, but they didn't say anything about his MMP. His eye's flashed a blue light for a second and he settled down to finish the fight.

Davis advanced with confidence ready to finish the fight. Ron knew to let the confidence to bring him in close. It had not been a total one sided fight. He had landed a number of good blows on the trooper. One of the t Davis's eyes was blackened and there was a cut on his chin. The trooper took one more step to get closer when Ron uploaded everything he had. The first punch hit the trooper in the side. His eyes bulged as the air whooshed from his lungs. As he gasped for air, Ron's next blow caught his jaw. The blow snapped his head to the side with enough force to splatter blood on the audience. Ron's next blow was an upper cut that lifted the trooper up on his toes. Settling back down on his feet Davis back at Ron. Ron unleashed his last bit of strength in a haymaker. The blow spun the trooper completely around. He stood for a second then fell flat on his face not moving.

Ron stumbled and tried to remain on his feet. Quincannon started to count. 1…2…3…4…5…6…7…8…9…10 your out!"

Another voice yelled "Attention!"

All the soldiers snapped to attention as Captain Director walked into the light.

"Quincannon, what is the meaning of this?"

Quincannon stuttered for a moment. "Soldier's fight Captain darling."

Captain Director pointed at Ron. "Soldier's fight? Then what is he doing in here?"

Quincannon looked down at the prostrate trooper.

"Trooper Davis said some very bad things about the lad's young lady."

Captain Director crossed his arms and with a quiet voice asked.

"Just what did Trooper Davis say about Miss Possible?"

Quincannon looked around at the other troopers who only continued to stand at attention.

"Trooper Davis made a comment that the young lady had been given special attention by the chief."

Captain Director's eyebrow rose for a moment then settled back down. He glanced down at the unconscious soldier and over at Ron who was barely able to stand. He patted Ron on the shoulder as he stepped from the ring.

"Sergeant, carry on."

Quincannon motioned for some of the other troopers to pick up Davis and carry him off. Kim ran from the barn to take Ron into her arms.

The sergeant smiled at Kim. "Take care of the man, lass. He is truly something special."

Kim nodded. "That I know. Come on Ron, I think you might need to see a doctor."

Quincannon pointed to a man walking up wearing a long white coat.

"No need in that lass, the troop doctor always attends these little altercations."

Kim sat Ron down on a bench next to the corral as the doctor walked up. Kim stood and looked around. Ron's friend Kane seemed to have disappeared as if he had never been there.

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Ron rolled over in softness he had rarely experienced. Then reality crashed back down on him as the pain returned. The doctor had given him something to drink that had burned like fire when it went down. He gagged a bit then the doctor gave him another slug of the fiery liquid. It didn't burn as much that time but he began to feel warm and the pain subsided a bit. Kim had helped the doctor bandage his hands, and put some type of salve on the cuts and bruises that covered his body and face. Then the two of them walked, actually Kim almost had to drag him up to the room she had at the hotel. The last thing he remembered was falling face first onto the bed.

He groaned as he rolled over. Warm breath bathed his face and he opened his eyes. Two lovely emerald eyes stared at him from inches away. Kim lay on the bed with him, wearing one of his shirts. She smiled at him and leaned over to give him a kiss on the nose. Kim got up and walked behind the screen that was in the room to get dressed. Ron rolled over on his back to get up when he realized all he had on was his boxers.

"KP, where are my clothes and how did they come off?"

Kim stepped out from behind the screen. A blue denim shirt was tucked into a pair of jeans. She tied her hair back in a ponytail as she walked over to the bed.

"Well, I was lucky to get you up here last night. If the owner had not been around to help I don't know what I would have done. After I got you on the bed, I took off those filthy clothes of yours. They were covered in blood anyway. After you passed out, I got a pan of water and gave you a bath.

Ron's face turned brilliant red.

"You…you…you gave me a bath?"

Kim flashed him a brilliant smile.

"Of course, you were covered in dirt, dust and blood. I was not about to let you mess up this bed. Besides, it not like I haven't seen everything before."

Ron turned even deeper red.

"Yeah KP but there is a difference in seeing and touching."

Kim's face turned a brilliant red this time, along with a little girlish smile.

"Well, a girl can look over the merchandise can't she?"

Both of them stared at each other for a moment before bursting out laughing.

Kim giggled as she fell forward on the bed.

"I am so glad Daddy is not around to hear that."

Ron laughed a bit.

"But where did you sleep?"

Kim crawled up next to Ron and caressed his face.

:"Well, it wasn't on the floor that's for sure. I slept right here beside you. You were out cold so I know nothing would happen."

Ron leaned over to give her a little kiss. Kim joined in but stopped when he hissed in pain. She touched his lip.

"We may have to take it easy for a little while till that heals up."

Ron looked around the room. "Where are my clothes?"

Kim stood up. "Well after I got you cleaned up. I walked out outside to see if I could find a place to get them washed. Your friend Kane was standing outside with a bundle of clean clothes for you. He took the dirty ones and gave me the clean ones. He told me that he would take your clothes back to camp and get them washed."

Kim picked up a pile of clothes off the floor and handed them to him.

"Now get over there behind the screen and get changed. I am hungry and you owe me breakfast."

Ron's eyes twinkled.

"Well since you saw the goods last night why should I stand behind the screen."

Kim's face lost all its humor. "I didn't go that far. Now get changed or else."

Ron's face broke into a smile as he walked past her to get behind the screen. She turned around as his past and watched as he disappeared behind the screen. A long slow whistle came from her lips.

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Ron held Kim's hand as they walked into the worker's camp. Wang and several others came running up bowing and smiling. Maitland stepped out of his tent and gave Ron a handshake.

"It's good to see you back Ron. You are the best spike driver I have. In fact they were asking for a good spike driver to drive the last spike at the ceremony tomorrow. I put your name in the hat and they drew your name. The bosses liked it that a young man like you, the future of this land would drive the last spike."

Maitland turned to Kim.

"You must be Miss Possible. Ron here has talked a great deal about you. I can see why he would go to the lengths he did to help you."

Kim blushed a bit and smiled back at Maitlain as she put her arm through Ron's.

"Well, I have the best boyfriend in the world."

Maitland nodded. "Well, would you like a job Miss Possible?"

Kim was startled a bit. "Well, yes but I don't know what I can do around here."

Maitland thought for a moment. "Well Ron told me you were great at organizing. Since these crews cook on their own do you think you could organize the food supplies that they need and make sure food and water get to the working crews?"

Kim nodded. "Yes sir. I would be glad to help out."

Maitland nodded. "Okay you are hired; you will work out of that tent over there. Ho, Wang, and Fong over there will help you out. Ron, looks like you are in no shape to swing a spike hammer today so you can go with her to help. I want you rested and fresh for the ceremony when the bosses get here. Now get to work."

Ron took Kim's hand as they walked on into the camp.

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I'll leave the story here for now. Kim and Ron are back together. Married? Ron's lucky MrP didn't hear about that yet. They are now in the Pacific Rail camp working as they await the ceremony.

There were a number of scenes in this chapter that appear in one of my favorite movies. One reviewer caught it quick with the name of the sergeant.

Kim, Ron and Kane will face some problems in the next chapter. Ron will be presented with a situation were he must make a decision.

I appreciate all the support that this story has received. The hits and reviews continue to grow. Thanks.

Please leave a review. I will try my best to respond.

The Captain.


	18. Chapter 18 The Wild West IV

**Tunnel Vision 18  
Wild West IV  
By Captainkodak1**

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Dr. Director placed Will Du's file in her file cabinet and locked it. She almost felt almost sorry for him. _Almost_. The two-hour dressing down she had given him had been one of the best she had ever delivered to one of her agents, but it paled by comparison with the one she had received from the Council. It was only by the good graces of that same Council that she was still the Director of Global Justice. Her saving grace had been that until now Will's career record had been nearly spotless. The only gray spots on his file always seemed to involve Team Possible. However, no one _ever_ imagined that he would be so inept or derelict in his duties.

Will was no longer a field agent. For the time being, he was demoted to Personnel and Logistics. Maybe some time counting files, MREs and pencils would reign in his ego. He was also ordered to attend bi-weekly counseling sessions to try and discover why his near obsession with putting down Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable had lead to him to nearly cause their loss to Global Justice. His decision to pull the guards away from the Center had been monumental bad judgment.

Walking into her quarters, Betty found the box she had requested from storage. In it were items from her ancestor that somehow Kim and Ron had literally dropped in on. The short reports from Team Possible had been impossible to believe but then you were talking about Team Possible: the two of them taking on a band of Indians barehanded; Kim being captured by the Indians and Ron getting tomahawked and shot with an arrow; Ron going back to rescue Kim, only to find the Indians were more than willing to hand her over after they tried to make her cook (Betty smiled at that). If only they could harness Kim's cooking (in)ability, it could be used as a truly awesome weapon.

Then there was Kim and Ron returning to the camp as the Indians were so impressed with Ron's ability to be around Kim. The two teens had returned to town where Ron had been involved in a fight over something about Kim. Betty considered Ron's devotion to Kim to be one of his greatest assets. Now the two of them were working in the railroad camp, waiting for the tunnel to fire.

Meanwhile, the driving of the spike would take place the next day.

Betty opened the old leather bound tome that contained her ancestor's writings and notes. It had been years since she had seen this book. She studied the dates and came to the time of Team Possible's arrival:

"The unit is going out into the field to attempt to retrieve a young girl captured by a group of renegade Indians in the area. We are supposed to meet a companion of the girl by the name of Ron. He has been staying in the Chinese workers' camp. He is to lead us to the place where she was captured. I don't have a great deal of hope for the girl. Young women are highly-prized captives. I hope that we can bargain with the chief for her release."

"It is incredible. We had been on the trail of the band of Indian when we crossed paths with them coming to meet us. Apparently the young lady had laid waste to their camp and they want nothing to do with her. The young man Ron impressed the band when the girl went straight and calmly into his arms. They thought he was some great warrior. The chief invited them into his camp and gave them quite a party where the boy was highly honored. The chief also married them without their knowledge. This was quite a surprise to the two of them. However, in my opinion, no two ever deserved to be together than those two."

Betty read on. There were a number of pages that had been water damaged and were illegible. Then she came upon a partial entry.

"….I do not know how it happened, but I plan to find out. I just don't believe that those two young people would….."

The rest of the entry was unreadable. Betty scanned further ahead but the next readable entries were days after the spike ceremony and there were no more entries about Kim and Ron. She turned a few more pages when a piece of folded paper slipped out and fell to the floor. Bending over to pick it up, she slowly opened it up. Her eye dilated in surprise. "Ohhh… Kim… Ron… Nooooooo!"

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Ron pulled the tent flap back and entered Maitland's tent.

"You needed to see me?"

Maitland glanced up from his paperwork.

"Yes, I sure did. I have a couple of questions for you. First, the bosses will be here tomorrow and it looks like you have been selected to drive the last spike. Would you like to do it?"

Ron nodded.

"Sure, boss. I'd be glad to. I think I'll be in pretty good shape by tomorrow."

Maitland put down some papers.

"Now, second question. Is Miss Possible _always_ like this?"

Ron laughed.

"Yeah, that's my KP. Once she gets her head into something, she'll drive herself and everyone else crazy."

Maitland leaned back and gestured to his desk, counting off with his fingers.

"Believe me, I am not complaining. It's not lunch yet and in the time she started work she has reorganized the cooks into crews that prepared certain meals and the food shipments are organized by food type and what meal they are for. She then reorganized all of the work crews so that each has experienced as well as new men. She has organized a laundry service to handle all the laundry for each crew so that as they come off duty there are fresh clothes waiting for them. The dirty clothes are washed and reissued later. Kim found out there were some musicians and ordained ministers among the men, so she set up small music groups to entertain the men and provide worship services for the major beliefs."

Ron just nodded. Kim was being Kim in her "Kimzone".

"Yeah, she's something else."

Maitland pulled out a cash box and counted out a few bills.

"Well, I imagine you didn't know it was payday. Here is what I owe you and here is Kim's pay for the day plus a little bonus. Now go get her _out_ of here before she comes and reorganizes _me_! Miss Sally's diner up in town is pretty good. Why don't the two of you take the rest of the day off and get a good meal? I want you clean and rested for the ceremonies day after tomorrow."

Ron gathered up the bills and put them his pocket.

"Yes, sir."

Ron turned and stepped out of the tent into the sun. He glanced across the camp as wagons rolled through. The daily supply train had just arrived and was being unloading. Kim stood there holding a clipboard she had fashioned for herself to help keep track of things. Wong and Chin stood on each side of her, forwarding her orders to the men unloading the train cars and the wagons. Everything seemed to running like a well-oiled machine.

Ron stepped over to her side.

"Break time, KP."

Kim just shook her head.

"_No_ _time_, Ron. I have to get this stuff unloaded, then I want to get back to organizing another set of crews to clean up the camps, start a program of picking up extra tools, plates, and spikes that might be just laying around, and _then_ I need to prepare the crews to be at the ceremony tomorrow and…"

Ron placed a finger on her lips.

"KP, we just got paid and Maitland wants us to take the rest of the day off. He told me of a nice place to eat in town and his suggestion was for me to take you there. He wanted you to make sure I was ready for the ceremony tomorrow."

Kim sighed.

"Okay, Ron. Hmmm. Get you ready? I think a new shirt and pants and a visit to the barber wouldn't be a bad idea. I'll need something new, too. I saw a new store opening on Main Street. I think it was called Cacto del Club."

Kim grabbed Ron's hand and they started toward their horses tied up outside of the main tent.

"Ahhh… come on, KP. A shopping spree even lost in time?"

Kim glanced over. "You _bet_, my BFBF! Your BFGF _needs_ to shop and you're going!"

"RON! KIM! Can you come over here a minute?"

The two teens turned to see Maitland waving them over. They walked over to his tent and he ushered them inside. On his desk lay two saddlebags. He picked up the bags and handed one to each of them.

"Now, I'm going to tell the two of you something. The main payroll came in today and is being held at the bank. The bank also takes care of a lot of the paperwork for us. Normally we send all the paperwork in these bags to the bank and then bring back the new forms. However, there's word a gang is in the area and wants to hit the payroll as it comes from the bank. What I'm asking you to do is this: the bank staff is pulling a switch. Lead slugs will be placed in the strong box on the pay wagon. The actual pay will be placed in these saddlebags. I want you to take the saddlebags to the bank. Go get something to eat; be seen around town. Then just go back to the bank and pick up the saddlebags and ride back to camp. If the gang tries anything they'll hit the wagon and get nothing. If they figure you out, don't fight; just drop the money and run."

Kim and Ron took the bags and placed them on their shoulders. Kim took Ron's arm.

"Why us?"

Maitland smiled back at Kim. "One, somehow I know that I can trust you. Two, no one would think the two of you would be carrying the payroll; everyone in town has the belief that the two of you were just married so that just helps the cover story. Besides, if something _was_ to happen, I really believe that the two of you can handle it."

Ron shook Maitland's hand.

"We'll do our best, sir. Come on, KP. Let's do get something to eat and do a little shopping."

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The cook set two plates on the table. A large steak covered each of the plates. A side plate of beans sat in the middle of the table along with a basket of hard bread. The two of them drank a light ale. It was not very alcoholic but was very good to drink. Ron picked up his knife and started to cut his meat. The cook stood to the side as they checked their steaks.

"Is that all you two will need?"

Kim smiled at her steak and nodded. Ron leaned back to pay the cook. He stepped back and shook his head.

"Naw. I heard the two of you were just married. I saw you stand up to them cowboys the other day. Just call the meal a wedding gift or a favor."

Ron was about to say something when Kim kicked him under the table. The glare she gave him told him to shut up. He shook the cook's hand.

"Thanks. We appreciate it."

Ron watched as the cook walked off then looked down at his hand and grimaced. He pulled a neckerchief from his pocket and wiped his hand.

"Hey, KP. What would your dad think of this piece of meat?"

Kim sat quietly for a moment as her eyes shimmered.

Ron took her hand.

"Sorry, Kim. I didn't mean to remind you of…."

Kim placed her hand and top of his and squeezed.

"It's okay, Ron. I was just…."

A shadow crossed the table and the two of them looked up. A large man with a U.S. Marshall's badge on his coat was standing over them. His unshaven grizzled face stared down at them.

"You two from that chainmen's camp?"

Ron nodded.

"Yes, we both work there."

The Marshall pulled a paper from his coat and handed it to Ron. "I want to know if you've seen this man."

Ron unfolded the paper. He used all his monkey power to keep his face straight. The paper was a "Wanted" poster. The picture on the front was of his friend Chang Kane. He shook his head.

"Sorry. I haven't seen him."

The Marshall's face drew grim.

"You don't say. The way I heard it, you and this fella took down some cowboys a couple of days ago. Are you _sure_ that you haven't seen him around? I wouldn't like it if you were lying to me, boy!"

Ron took the paper back from Kim as he glanced into her eyes. She wrapped her leg around his under the table and rubbed it up and down. The side look she gave him let him know what to do.

"Well, yeah, now that you _mention_ it, he and I _did_ fight off those cowboys. But I had to leave the camp for a couple of days and I haven't seen him since."

Kim knew Ron was telling the truth, although barely. He had left the camp to get her away from the Indians. When he got back he got in the fight with the soldier and did not see Kane. After the two of them went back to the camp, neither of them had seen him.

The Marshall snatched the paper back from Ron.

"Well, you just remember if you see him again. This man is wanted for murder and is worth a lot of money. I would hate to see this pretty little lady here have to go see you in jail, you two just being married and all. Least that's what I hear."

He spun around and stalked out of the restaurant. Both Kim and Ron noticed a number of other men wearing badges joining the man as he left. The cook came over to their table and poured them some more ale.

"You two had better be careful. That man is bad news all the way around. He calls himself Marshall Danford, but most of us wonder just what side of the law he's _really_ on. Them deputies are worse than he is. I hope the two of you stay as _far away_ from him as _possible_."

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Kim held onto Ron's arm as they strolled up the wooden sidewalk. The meal had been good. Shopping had only taken a few minutes as the selection of was not great. Ron had two new work shirts and a new pair of pants. Kim bought two shirts, a dress, a pair of pants as well as a pair of dress shoes. A quick trip to the hotel gave them the chance to drop their packages in Kim's room. Then they headed back to the bank.

There were a number of people in the lobby as the two of them headed for the Teller's Window where they were supposed to get the saddle bags. Just behind the counter, the strong box sat with two of the guards getting ready to take it out to the wagon.

"DON"T ANYONE TRY ANYTHING!"

Two masked men brandishing Colts entered through the front door. The guards started to move when the back and side doors burst open. Four more masked gunmen came in and covered the guards, who raised their hands and backed away from their guns and the box. Kim and Ron retreated to the wall and let the saddlebags slip to the floor. Ron caught a sideways glance from Kim. He wordlessly said "No" and signaled with his hand that there were too many with guns. Kim relaxed and stepped to his side.

Two of the men in back picked up the strongbox and headed out the back door while the others held everyone at gunpoint. One stepped over to Kim and grabbed her by the arm. She twisted her arm to get away. As she turned his shirt sleeve slid back, revealing a long scar in the shape of a snake on his wrist.

"You're coming with us, girl. Any posse and you don't come back. B-e-s-i-d-e-s, along the way, you can give a little…"

Kim spun, yanking her right wrist down and driving her left fist up. There was a cracking sound as the man's nose broke. The man dropped to his knees, screaming. The other robber behind the counter took aim at Kim and was rewarded with a spittoon in his face, courtesy of Ron. The room reverberated with the bonging of the metal spittoon.

There was a pistol shot and a bullet gouged a hole in the wall next to Ron's head. The two teens separated, diving in opposite directions. Ron rolled to his feet and grabbed a coat rack from the floor. In one fluid motion, he hurled the rack in the chest of one of the robbers behind the counter. Kim rolled over at the feet of the other robber in the lobby. A leg sweep brought the man crashing to the floor.

"BOOM!"

Kim looked up to see Ron disappear in a cloud of plaster dust. The fourth robber retreated out the door, pulling his injured companion behind him. The sawed-off shotgun in his hand was smoking.

"RON!"

Kim scuttled across the floor where Ron lay on the floor.

The robber Kim had knocked to the floor got up and dragged his fellow robber out the door. The sound of galloping hooves signaled the retreat of the robbers. Kim got to Ron and rolled him over. Her hands darted over his new shirt, which should have been punctured with holes. Only there _were_ no holes. His eyes opened and gazed up at her.

"You're beautiful when you are scared, KP."

Kim punched him in the arm. "R-o-n-n!"

He rolled over, propped himself up on one elbow and reached out with his other hand to wipe a tear away from her cheek.

She leaned forward and placed her lips on his. She held the kiss for a few moments and then settled back down on the floor.

Ron smiled. "Yeah, you're even more beautiful than you were at that fashion show."

Kim giggled and pulled him into a hug.

The Sheriff rushed in with his deputy. He checked everyone one out, then knelt by Kim and Ron. He turned to his deputy. "Get to the telegraph office; get them to send out a message about the robbery. Then find that Marshall and his men." The deputy ran from the bank.

The Sheriff placed his hand on Kim's arm.

"You two okay?"

Kim pulled away from Ron, wiped her tear streaked face and nodded.

"Yeah, I _think_ so."

She got up and pulled Ron to his feet.

The Sheriff checked out both of them.

"Well, if half of what the folks said is true, then you two are either _lucky_ or _good_."

Ron put his arm around Kim.

"Sheriff, Kim wasn't _about_ to _go_ with them and _I_ wasn't about to _let_ them."

The Sheriff nodded and turned to leave.

"Well, I need to get a posse going to see if we can run down those men."

Kim and Ron walked across the room to pick up the saddlebags and then went out the front door of bank and mounted their horses. Pulling on the reins, they headed out of town and back to the camp.

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Dr. Director's hovercraft landed at the Space Center pad. Exiting the plane, she climbed into a waiting car, which sped across the compound and skidded to a stop at a side door. A GJ agent barely had a chance to open the car door as she jumped out and ran into the building.

Striding into the lab, Dr. Director headed straight for Dr. Possible's office, entered and quickly scanned the room. James, Anne, Jean and Gene were sitting around a table. Wade turned around from his computer station.

"Can you get a message to Kim and Ron? It's very, very urgent!"

James jumped to his feet.

"Betty, what's _wrong_?"

Dr. Director unfolded the piece of paper she was holding and spread it out on the table. Both mothers screamed as the two fathers' faces turned pale.

Dr. Director turned to Wade.

"Send a message right now! Urgent! They have to…"

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Kim and Ron rode across the landscape in silence. They had not said much to each other since they left town. The incident had frightened both of them. The slow ride back to the railroad camp gave them time to think. The trail took them close to one of the ravines in the area.

Suddenly, a group of men rode up out of the ravine and surrounded the two teens: it was Marshall Danford and his group of deputies. Danford stopped directly in front of Kim and Ron, sat back and stared at the two teens for a moment.

"The manager of the railroad camp told us of the switch. We trailed the men who stole the strongbox and found it abandoned not far out of town. They had smashed it open and found that there was no money in the box, just bags of lead slugs. A few of the bags were slit open and poured out on the ground. We figured that they would realize that you were carrying the real money. I thought it best if my deputies and I escort you into the camp."

Kim and Ron looked at each other. Surrounded by armed men, they really did not have any choice in the matter. They just nodded and moved closer together. But as they rode on, two of the deputies cut Ron off and got between him and Kim.

"HEY! Watch it!"

Danford turned around.

"Shut up, boy! We're just protecting you and the little lady. Come to think of it, why don't you just give us the saddle bags and _we'll_ carry them to the camp."

One of the deputies reached over and grabbed the saddle bag off Kim's horse. Kim reached back for the bag, looked down at his wrist and saw the same snakelike scar. She looked up as he raised his head. Two eyes gazed at her over a bruised and bent nose.

"Hey! You're the…."

The saddlebag opened up and cloth bags hit the ground. They split open to reveal that they were full of gravel.

Kim stared in shock at the bags lying on the ground. Another deputy grabbed the saddlebag off Ron's horse and opened one side. Pulling out one of the cloth bags, he threw it to the ground. It smashed open to reveal it too was full of rocks. The sound of pistols being drawn and cocked came to Kim's and Ron's ears. They looked around to see several pistols aimed at them.

Danford sneered.

"Well, well! The two nice young people show their colors. Now raise your hands so that we don't have to kill you."

Kim and Ron released the reins to their horses and raised their hands.

Kim stuttered. "But we just picked those bags up at the bank."

Danford nodded.

"Yep, and I'll bet that the other members of your gang _let_ you beat them up in the bank just so you could _look_ good. Besides, how could a man standing twenty feet away miss your husband with a sawed-off double barreled shotgun. It sounds to me like he _intended_ to miss. You act like the b-i-g h-e-r-o-e-s. Then you picked up the bags and walked right out of the bank. _Then_ you switched out the gold and put the rocks in. You knew that the gold would go in the safe until after the ceremony tomorrow. By then you would be _long_ _gone_!"

Kim's face flamed.

"We didn't do _anything_. They must have switched it out at the bank."

Danford leaned forward in his saddle.

"Yeah, little lady? Then why do I have sworn statements from three bank employees? They'll testify they packed the saddlebags and gave them to you. They'll be the first witnesses at your trial."

One of the deputies reached over to grab Kim by the arm. She pulled herself free and elbowed him in the face. He tumbled off the other side of his horse and landed with a thud on the ground. Within a split second, Ron was in mid-air, diving toward a deputy aiming a pistol at Kim. He hit the man, driving his hand down.

"BLAM!"

The shot went into the dirt.

Kim swung around, knocking the feet out from under one deputy and with a flying kick dropped another to the ground. She stood up and turned around to face the rest of the men when a shadow passed over her head. The lariat was pulled tight, pinning her arms to her sides. The deputy who threw it tied it off to the pommel of his saddle and jerked back his horse, yanking Kim backward off her feet.

Ron stiff-armed one deputy, and pulled a third off his horse. As the deputy hit the ground, Ron ran towards Kim.

"BOOOOM!"

Dust flew as the shotgun blast hit the dirt between Ron and Kim.

Ron slid to a stop and faced the direction of the shotgun blast. The deputy leveled the sawed-off shotgun at him. Smoke swirled from one of the barrels.

"That's the _second_ time I missed, boy. _This_ time it _was_ on purpose. The _next one_ will get you or the little lady. What'll it be?"

Ron slowly stood and raised his hands. The deputy Ron had pulled to the ground walked up to Ron and punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground. Two deputies jumped off their horses and pulled Kim to her feet. One deputy loosened the lariat and pulled it off of her. Then he pulled her hands behind her back and tied them. The other deputy pulled Ron to his feet and did the same. The two ruffled teens were pulled in front of Danford. He leaned over to face them.

"I also have a little _bone_ to pick with you. You two lied to me about that Chinaman. You were both seen with him just last night. You gave him time to disappear. I guess I'll be adding some _more_ charges. It won't matter. They hang you for bank robbery around here."

He sat up and nodded to two of his deputies.

"Don't take them to the sheriff. Just take them to the camp right now, and tie them up tight. Then you know what to do."

The deputies nodded. They grabbed the two teens and pulled them toward their horses. Two more deputies grabbed them and lifted them onto their horses. Kim's face was scratched from being jerked to the ground. Ron's lip was bleeding from the punch he had received. The deputies grabbed the reins of their horses and lead them off.

Danford signaled the other deputies to form up on him.

"Come on! Let's go tell the railroad people that their money got stolen. But we have captured the thieves and will see that they hang."

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The two deputies pulled both of them off their horses once they arrived at the camp. They lead Kim and Ron to one side of the camp and pushed them to the ground. Then they were forced to sit back to back as their arms were tied together. Another rope was wrapped around their chests and pulled tight. One of the deputies drove a wooden stake into the ground between their bound ankles and tied their ankles to the stakes. Finally, the deputy that Kim had decked at the bank pulled out a short rope.

"Now, you two sit real still. I just want to make sure you don't try anything funny."

The deputy wrapped the rope several times around their necks, forcing them to remain still to be able to breathe. The deputy stepped back and stared at his handiwork.

"You might want to get used to a rope around your necks. You just might be feeling another one real soon. Maybe a posse might find out that the two of you ran into a lynch mob. I'm sure they'll give you a proper burial."

He turned and walked toward the fire, leaving the two of them barely able to move or breathe. Ron shifted his head back to give Kim as much slack as he could. She coughed and gagged a bit.

"You okay, KP?"

Kim snorted.

"Just peachy, Ron. J-u-s-t peachy. Nothing like being tied up and nearly strangled. I hope Drakken never learns about this one."

Ron sighed.

"Yeah, I have a feeling that we just might get the feel of a rope necklace."

Kim grabbed what she could with her hands and pinched.

"Owww! KP! What was _that_ for?

"_That_ was for making a joke like that!" Kim snarled.

"Sorry, Kim," Ron whispered.

Kim slowly settled her head back to snuggle it up against his head.

"It's okay, Ron."

Kim sat there trying to stay as still as possible so both of them could breathe. Ron moved his hand to grab hers for a moment but the movement tightened the rope around their necks so he relaxed. Kim watched as the moon trailed across the sky. She figured they had been tied up for about three or four hours.

Both of the deputies walked over to them.

"Well, I hope you two have said your goodbyes. In just a couple of hours, you are going to make an escape attempt."

He pulled his shotgun out of its holster and cocked the hammers.

"Along the way, you end up shooting and killing a deputy. Too bad the other one kills both of you before you can get away."

The other deputy laughed. "Oh, _that's_ a good one, Harry. Just who are they going to _shoot_?"

Harry turned and leveled his shotgun at the other deputy.

"You!"

"BOOM!"

Kim and Ron screamed as the other deputy fell just feet from them, his coat and shirt shredded by the shotgun blast.

Harry broke open his shotgun and pulled the spent shells from the barrels. He reloaded and snapped the gun closed.

"Now, later tonight somehow the two of you get free and get my gun. You shoot ol' Daniel there. But I get both of you with my other shotgun. I think the boy will get it in the face as he tried to shoot me. The girl, well, I think she'll get it in the stomach trying to help him. Too bad it takes her a couple of hours to die."

He laughed as he turned away.

"This is _not_ good…" the teens said together.

They watched as he got some of his equipment ready and then loaded his other guns. The deputy turned to walk toward the teens when a shadow came from the darkness. A cloud of dust enveloped him as grunts and thuds could be heard. The fire went out as it was knocked over. The two teens waited in the dark, daring not to breathe. A figure came out of the darkness. Kim's eyes grew wide.

"Do not fear. It is I, Kane."

The two teens recognized their friend from the camp. He knelt beside them and untied the ropes. They stood, rubbing their wrists and neck, and then grabbed him in a large hug. Kane waited a moment then brought his arms down around the two teens.

"It is well. I was following you from town when they caught you. Yet I could not follow too close. I heard what they said and knew I had to act. Take their horses. You need to leave this area."

Kim stammered.

"But we need to tell everyone what happened. We need to let them know…."

Kane put his hand on her shoulder.

"It is not to be. The Marshall already has told others that you committed the robbery. Soon the people of the countryside will be looking you. So will the Marshall and his men. If they catch you… This has already been printed. It was in that deputy's shirt."

He pulled a paper from inside his shirt and handed it to them.

Kim and Ron gasped when they saw the paper.

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Tears poured from Anne's and Jean's faces. James reached out with a shaking hand and picked up the paper that Dr. Director had laid down on the table. It was a classic "Wanted" poster. The problem was that it was Kim and Ron's faces on the paper. James slowly read the paper.

_**Wanted  
Dead or Alive  
$3000  
Robbery  
Murder of Deputy  
Escape  
Harboring Fugitive**_

_**Ron and Kim Stoppable. **_

_**Subjects are approximately 18 years old. Do not underestimate their youth. Both are armed but can kill with their bare hands. Do not take chances. Shoot to kill.**_

Anne's voice shook. "What has happened to my baby? How could they get into so much trouble?"

James' knuckles went white as he held onto the paper.

"How could they _do_ this? What were they _thinking_?"

Anne stepped over to him, shaking her head. Everyone stared at him in shock.

"James, you don't actually think they _robbed_ someone?"

He shook his head. "What do you _mean_, they _robbed_ someone? Don't you _see_? They're MARRIED!"

Anne groaned as she buried her head in her hands.

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Kim and Ron stared at the paper. They stared at each other.

"Wanted?"

Ron shuddered. "I am not so worried about _that_ as I am the _married_ thing. I would be _so_ dead if your dad ever saw that."

Kim gave Ron a slight elbow. "Would being married to me be that bad?"

Ron started to sweat as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Ahhh… nooo… That would be b-a-d-i-c-a-l. But…but…I mean, that means we would…we could…"

Kim took Ron's face in her hands.

"Could what, Ron? What are you…o-o-o-h-h-h!"

Both of their faces turned very red.

"Will you? Would you?" they both whispered and turned even redder. Ron took Kim's face in his hands.

"Uh…KP…maybe…uh…someday?"

Kim's eye flew wide open and then a sly smirk came to her face, matched by one on Ron's.

Kim wrapped her arms around Ron's neck and pulled him into a kiss. Both of them stood for a moment and then realized that Kane was standing there, looking at them. When they turned around he already had two horses saddled.

"Take these. Ride to the west. Make a life for yourselves somewhere else. I will stay. The gold is hidden. I will contact the Calvary Officer in a few days. That will clear you. Now go, Chosen One."

Kim and Ron looked at Kane.

"Yes, I have wondered since I saw you. Then when I saw you together, then you fought for the woman you loved, I knew."

Kane bowed deeply.

"I am honored to have been in the presence of the Chosen One. Many years I have heard the legends. Now I see."

Ron bowed in response.

Kane straightened up.

"Now go. You must be gone. I will destroy your trail."

Kim stepped over and gave Kane a kiss.

He smiled at her.

"I am honored to have served and guided you. You are the chosen of the Chosen One. Walk at his side. Let your love for him guide the two of you."

He turned Kim around and prodded her onto her horse. The teens bowed again from their horses and rode into the night.

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Their horses were tired so they dismounted and walked them along side of one of the spur tracks in the area. The grass growing up showed that this track had not been used recently. The two teens walked in silence. They had heard the tooting of the whistles and knew that the ceremony had been held. At least they had been close and had seen everything before getting tangled up with Danford and his deputies. Kim had checked the Kimmunicator and knew that the tunnel would be firing soon. All they had to do was stay out of everyone's way until it did.

Ron stepped over and took her hand. She held it tightly.

"What's on your mind, Kim?"

She stopped and let go of the reins of her horse. It halted and began to eat some of the grass nearby. Kim grabbed both of his hands and held them to her chest.

"Ron. Ronnie. Did you mean what you said back there at that camp?"

Ron opened his mouth to say something then closed it.

Kim sighed deeply and bowed her head.

"Oh!" she said quietly.

Ron pulled her to him.

"No, no. KP. Kim. I just had to think of what I wanted to say. Yes, I meant it. We have been put together on this sitch and we still aren't home. I…I don't know if we will _ever_ get home. But, there is nowhere I would rather be than anywhere with you. If we don't get home and never jump again, then I would want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Kim blushed deeply. Her eyelids were lowered as she pulled herself closer.

"…and if and when we get back?"

Ron cupped her chin with his hand and lifted it up to gaze into her shining emerald eyes.

"Then sometime in the future, I want to ask your dad a question. But that depends on you answering another question first."

Kim pulled his head down to hers and she kissed him lightly on his lips.

"Yes!" she whispered.

Ron pulled back. "'Yes' what?"

Kim grinned. "'Yes' to the question you have to ask first."

A smile grew on Ron's face as he leaned in for another kiss. Kim closed her eyes as she felt his breath on her lips. This would be a kiss that she would remember for the rest of her life.

The horses reared up and ran. Kim and Ron looked around to see what has spooked them. They didn't see anything. But felt a breeze.

"KAWHOOPPP!"

The concussion of the blast knocked both of them off their feet.

When they got up there was a train engine sitting on the tracks. At least they thought it was a train engine. It was like nothing they had ever seen. The cab was fully enclosed. There were strange pieces of equipment spinning and blinking up and down the sides of the engine. Smoke and steam swirled from under and around the underside.

There was a whirling noise and the side of the cab opened up. A tall man with wild white hair stepped down from the engines. He was dressed for the time period. Kim's eyes grew wide.

"Professor Brown?" she gasped.

Ron stared up at the man. "Doc Brown?"

"Kimberly! Ronald! It's so good to see you!" The man sat down on the steps.

Kim found her voice. "Dr. Brown! What happened? Where did you go? You disappeared and Daddy wondered where you went!"

Professor Brown shook his head.

"Kimberly, your dad is a brilliant man and didn't need my help. I knew he would figure it out. You being here is testament to that. Me, I had to go my own way. Did a little time traveling and had a few problems. I decided to settle down in this time period. I have been watching the two of you."

Kim chin hit her chest. "Watching us, you mean you can travel in…"

Professor Brown nodded. "Time. Yes, Kimberly. _This_ is my _time machine_. It runs on a different idea than your father's but does the same thing."

Ron stepped up.

"You mean you have been watching all this time and didn't _do_ anything?"

Professor Brown shook his head.

"I _couldn't_. If I did, I would have disturbed the space time continuum. I knew everything would be okay. But I do have something for you."

He turned and pulled two packages from the cab and handed them to Kim and Ron.

"You're going to need these next."

Kim took the package.

"Doctor Brown, do we ever get home?"

He gazed at the two teens.

"Yes, you get home and _more_. But I can't tell you more. Just remember: you are Team Possible and _always will be_."

Professor Brown stood up and climbed back into the cab of the train. The door started to close.

"I have to leave before I make any _other_ changes. Remember what you just said to each other and let it guide your actions."

Kim reached out.

"Doctor Brown! Wait! Can't you take us _with_ you?"

He shook his head as the door closed.

"No, it would make a change to the time stream. This next trip you make will be _very important_. Take care of each other!"

The door to the train closed as it lifted into the air. With a roar of the engine and tooting of the whistle the vehicle disappeared into the sky.

The two teens looked down at their packages and then felt the whirling effect of the tunnel. They held on to each other as they fell. Kim was on top of Ron when they landed on and disappeared into a mound of snow. Getting up and looking around, they saw the countryside blanketed with snow.. It was very cold. Opening their packages, they found old style cloths. Ron pulled out a tri-corner hat and clothing that matched the time of the American Revolution. Kim pulled out a mop cap and long dress of the same period. Kim pulled out the Kimmunicator and activated the screen. It was February, 1778. The place was Valley Forge.

The two teens looked around them and groaned.

"It's going to be _so_ cold."

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Well, they are out of the Old West and into another time period. This one is going to be a little colder. Together the two of them are going to meet some interesting characters at Valley Forge.

Hmmmm… James Possible knows only part of the marriage story. Let's hope if and when they get back the words "nine months" are not mentioned. Ron's going to have to explain a whole lot when they get back.

Law enforcement in those days was interesting at best. Some of the folks seemed to have played both sides of the fence.

Thanks for all the support. Pleas leave a review, I will try and respond as best I can.

I would like to take this chance to announce that I am working with Whitem on a new story that is called "Trial of the Hearts.". We will be writing under the name of TeamWhitecap. The first chapter has already been posted. Please go by and take a look. I think you will like it.

Thanks to my two betareaders. Ya'll are great friends and a great help to me.


	19. Chapter 19 Valley Forge I

**Tunnel Vision 19  
Valley Forge I  
By Captainkodak1**

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Kim's feet were cold. Her low shoes did little to keep the snow out, while the thin stockings were as wet as the hem of the long dress she wore. The white apron matched her white blouse. A dark wool vest helped keep her chest warm. The hooded tunic that covered her to her ankles kept her as warm as possible. She had her hair pulled back into a ponytail, having lost her mop cap. Ron's heavy hunter's shirt, hunting pants and high leather boots helped to keep him warm. They both had fits of giggles as they changed into the clothes Doc Brown had given them. Luckily, he had included instructions on how to put on all the clothes. The temperature didn't help. In addition to the clothes, inside each of their packs was a surprise: a small leather pouch in which they found a good number of British coins.

Kim took Ron's hand as he helped her cross a small stream. They had heard horses earlier along a nearby tree line. A walk over to the tree line enabled them to find a secluded road. They started downhill, figuring on finding somewhere to stop for the oncoming night. Ron skidded on an ice patch, his arms and hands flailing away to try and maintain his balance. He was finally able to come to a stop without falling and then slowly stood, smiling.

Kim started to giggle.

"_Graceful_, Ron. R-e-a-l graceful."

Taking one step forward, Kim's feet flew out from under her. All of her cheerleading talent and fighting all those goons over the years was no match for the unfamiliar clothes. Her bottom smacked hard on the ice.

Her green eyes caught Ron's brown ones as he fought to suppress a smile.

"One giggle, one smile, Ron, and you _will_ regret it."

Ron slowly worked his way over to help her up. Reaching down to take her hand, he lost his balance and plunged head-first into the snow. Kim struggled to her feet.

"Ron, are you okay?"

Ron stood, brushing the snow out of his hair and hat.

"Yeah, KP. Come on. There seems to be a house and barn down here."

Kim took his arm.

"Let's just hide in the barn for tonight. We don't know exactly where we are and who those people are. We don't want any trouble to start off."

Ron led the way in the darkness as they slipped into the barn. The blankets that Doc Brown provided them with helped keep them warm. Kim found a spot in the back where the hay was stacked. Making a pile in one of the empty stalls, they lay down with one blanket under them and one on top. Ron pulled a pile of hay down on top of them and they snuggled together under the blanket.

Kim settled her head on his shoulder. She felt two lips kiss her on the top of her head.

"You okay there, Mrs. Stoppable?" he said.

She placed her hand on his chest.

"I sure am, Mr. Stoppable," she replied, yawning.

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Shego watched the screen as the remote spy craft showed her pictures of the Space Center. Heavily-armed Global Justice troopers patrolled the grounds. Global Justice hovercraft patrolled the airspace. She mumbled under her breath. It would be nearly impossible to get inside the Center now, but not totally impossible. An all-out assault would have to be made. No sneaking. No hiding. A full-fledge attack with everything the villains had. It would take a bit of talking to get Monkey Fist and Killigan back. The thought of flying in a hovercraft still made both of them sick to their stomachs.

Shego picked up a cookie from the stack that Drakken had just brought in. She just about had in her mouth when she stopped and sniffed.

"No, he didn't!" she thought. "No, he wouldn't! Even Drakken wasn't _that_ stupid! Or _was_ he?'

She checked the front of the wrapper. The green flames from her hand incinerated the wrapper, the tray and all of the cookies.

"D-R-A-K-K-E-N! You realize that you just gave me MOLASSES COOKIES? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF WHAT I THINK OF MOLASSES NOW?"

Drakken started to turn white.

"This is going to be an ouchie, _isn't_ it?"

"FIRE IN THE HOLE!"

"WWAAAUUUAAAGGGHHHH! Shego! NOOO! AHHHHGGGGHHHH!"

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Kim opened her eyes to see that the sun was already up. A sharp snap of a twig caused her to freeze. The snap of the twig was followed by a sound Kim had seldom heard but still recognized. It was the metal clack of the hammer of a rifle being pulled back. Sitting up, she pushed the blanket and hay off of them and found she was facing the muzzle end of a rifle. Kim gently and slowly reached over to shake Ron.

"Ron, get up! We have company."

Ron's eyes sprung open at Kim's announcement. He slowly sat up and faced the man behind the rifle. Both carefully raised their hands. Ron groaned.

"I'm getting _so_ tired at being at the receiving end of those things."

The farmer gestured with his rifle.

"Now, you two get up nice and slow and keep those hands where I can see them."

Kim and Ron stood up side by side, keeping their hands in view. Ron stepped up next to and in front of Kim.

"Sir, we just needed a place to sleep. We'll be on our way."

The farmer blinked and studied the two teens.

"You looking for General Washington and his men?"

Kim pursed her lips, decided to take a chance and nodded.

The farmer sighed, released the hammer to his flintlock and lowered his rifle.

"I figured that be the reason you being here. You two hungry?"

Ron's stomach growled loudly.

The farmer smiled and held out his hand.

"I guess you are. Name's Samuel Reiger."

Kim and Ron had to hide their reaction to the farmer's name. This sitch was getting crazier with each jump. Ron shook the man's hand, and then gestured to Kim.

"Ron Stoppable. And this is Kim."

Samuel gestured out the door.

"Come on. The missus will have breakfast ready in a few minutes."

Kim and Ron followed the older man across the open area between the barn and the house. Samuel opened the door and let Kim and Ron in.

"Darla, I found these two young people half frozen in the barn with stomachs agrowlin'."

A large, heavyset woman turned to eye Kim and Ron.

"Mercy sakes, Samuel! Get them some warm ale and put the chairs near the fire!"

Darla came over and took the blanket off of Kim.

"My! You are a _tiny_ thing! Get over there by the fire and get warm!"

Kim and Ron sat near the fire and accepted tankards of ale from Samuel.

Kim took a sip and had to suppress a cough. It was hard ale so she would have to be careful how much she drank. She took another swig and felt the warmth flow through her. They had not of slept much the night before as they tried to stay warm. Darla handed them each a plate full of food. There were boiled apples, fried ham and pancakes. Kim and Ron ate as they sat by the warm fire. After finishing, they started to nod off.

Darla touched Kim on the arm.

"Why don't the two of you lie down and get some sleep. I know that you couldn't have slept well in that barn."

Kim smiled sleepily, stood up with Ron and slid over to the bed in the corner. They both fell over on the bed and were asleep the moment they lay down. Darla put their blankets over them.

Samuel sat at the table, watching them.

"The boy said they were looking for General Washington. Both of them are m-i-g-h-t-y young."

Darla started to clean up from breakfast.

"It's the young ones who will carry this fight. When they wake up we can hook up Nell and Henry to the wagon and get them up to the encampment. We need to take some of the flour up there and that message from Mr. Clark needs to get to the General."

Samuel nodded.

"We'll need to be careful of patrols. Some of Tarleton's devils have been seen in the area."

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Ann Possible's hand gripped the bottle of medicine in the bottom of her lab coat. If James did not calm down, she was going to give him a good dose, but before that she was going to give him a piece of her mind. He had been ranting the last few hours about Kim and Ron supposedly being married. She admitted to herself that the news caught her by surprise. But the news of her children being wanted disturbed her the most. Jean Stoppable had been working with Wade searching for any information in the area about Kim and Ron.

Turning the handle to James' office, she entered the room. He was sitting at his desk, looking at the "Wanted" poster. She placed her hands on his shoulders and began to rub.

"You okay?"

James turned to look at her.

"I made a fool of myself, didn't I?"

Anne settled down into his lap, playing with his hair. In the back of her mind she remembered seeing Kim doing this to Ron on several occasions.

"_Maybe_. I will say I _was_ surprised. But, come to think of it, is there anyone who could take care of Kimmie better than Ron? _I_ was mostly concerned about the reason their picture in on this piece of paper."

James cupped his wife's cheek with his hand. She pressed into his touch as she raised her hand to press against his. James smiled as he recalled seeing Kim and Ron doing the same thing. A smile crossed his face. Ann grinned.

"Nice thoughts?"

James nodded.

"I was just remembering walking in on Kim and Ron doing…."

"…the same thing _we're_ doing," Anne finished his sentence.

James nodded. "Yeah. They really match each other, don't they?"

There was a knock at the door and Ann stood up. Jean and Gene came in with smiles on their faces.

"Good news! We have spent the last few hours going over old newspapers and personal histories in the area. A week or so after Kim and Ron disappeared, the Marshall and his gang were arrested by the Captain. The gold was found and a judge cleared Kim and Ron. Apparently a friend of theirs had hidden the gold and led the Captain right to it. So, where are they now?"

James pointed out to the screen.

"They landed in the area of Valley Forge in the latter part of February of 1778. It looks like those two will get to meet George Washington."

Anne placed her hand on James' shoulder.

"James, what's the chance they could run into Zim Possible?"

James thought of that for a bit.

"_They just might_. Maybe we need to look for more of his papers. I'll call Mom and see if there are any more of his papers lying around. Then I'll get in touch with the two of them. One, to warn them about being around Zim…"

James' face broke into a grin.

"…and two, I want to hear Ron's explanation for marrying my daughter without asking _me_."

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Ron opened his eyes to a dimly lit room. Darla was sewing a shirt by the fire. He looked down to see Kim snuggled up against his chest, a slight smile on her face. She stirred a bit and opened her eyes, blinking. Darla noticed the movement.

"Well, our two sleepyheads finally woke up. My, my! You two must have been through _a lot_ lately."

Kim sat up and set her feet on the floor. She ran her fingers through her hair, adjusting her ponytail.

"What time is it?"

Darla looked at Kim.

"Time? Oh, let's see I guess it's just after mid-day."

Ron sat up quickly.

"_Mid-day_? How long have we been asleep?"

Darla rocked back in her chair, staring at the two as she continued to sew.

"Oh, quite some time. But you're just in time for dinner. Kim, do you think you could help?"

Before Kim could answer, Ron spoke up.

"I'd be glad to help, too. What can we do?"

Darla stood up.

"Well, I'll peel the potatoes and cut up some apples. Here, Kim. You sit and churn this butter. Ron, you can go to the well and draw up some water."

Kim patted Ron on his leg.

"Good luck with the water pail."

Ron grinned at Kim as he stood up. He wrapped his coat tighter around him and put his hat back on. Planting a kiss on top of Kim's head, he walked over to the door, picked up the bucket sitting on the floor and went out into the yard.

Kim took the seat by the fire and started to use the butter churn. Darla placed a cast iron pot on the table for her to put the potatoes in. Kim sliced the potatoes as she dropped them in. Darla cut up the apples and laid them in a deep fry pan.

"Have the two of you been together long?"

Kim thought for a moment.

"Actually, just a few days."

Ron opened the door and brought in the bucket of water.

Darla pointed to the pot in front of Kim.

"Pour it in there, young man. Then step out to the barn and tell my husband it'll be time to eat soon."

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Kim and Ron snuggled into the pallet the Reigers had set up in the upper portion of the cabin. The meal earlier had been hearty with roast pork, apples, potatoes, and warm cider. Kim helped Darla clean up and Ron helped with the animals. The sun was setting over the trees when everyone had gathered in the cabin. The cabin was lit by the glow of the fire in the fireplace. Even with sleeping most of the day the two teens were exhausted. They had not slept well over the last days of the Old West sitch. Ron put his arm around Kim and pulled the blankets up over them. Kim sighed as she settled her head into her favorite spot on his shoulder. Within moments they were both sound asleep.

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The Reigers sat atop the wagon as Samuel guided the horses into the mill yard. There were a number of other men in the yard talking. Kim and Ron snuggled down in the back of the wagon as it jolted over the snow and ice. The Reigers had wakened the two teens up before dawn. Kim helped Darla pack some food from the dinner the night before. Ron helped Samuel hooking up the horses to the wagon.

Samuel waved to the owner of the mill and the other men as he jumped down off the wagon.

"Greetings, Malachi. I need to pick up a load of flour."

The owner stood in the door of his mill, his clothing covered in flour. A scowl crossed his face.

"Well, Samuel, just how to you intend to pay for the flour?"

Samuel stopped and looked at Malachi.

"I intended to use what I always use." Samuel pulled a leather pouch from his coat and removed a stack of bills.

Malachi shook his head.

"Sorry, Sam. I got to have _hard_ money. I can't take that worthless paper."

Samuel gritted his teeth.

"_Can't,_ or _won't_, Malachi?"

The miller dropped his hands to his side with clenched fists.

"Don't get all high and mighty with me, Sam. I'm a businessman."

Samuel crossed his arms.

"So, while Washington's men _starve_, you sell everything you can to the British. R-e-a-l n-i-c-e, Malachi."

Malachi started to turn into the mill.

"_Hard_ money, Samuel, or take your business elsewhere."

Ron jumped down and stood beside Samuel. Taking his money pouch from his belt he put it in Samuel's hand. Samuel glanced down and opened the pouch. His eyes grew wide at the amount of money in the pouch. Ron took the pouch back and called out.

"Hey, dude! You want _hard cash_? Ron's got hard cash. You want to _deal_, you deal with _me_."

Malachi turned back to face Ron.

"_What_ did you say, boy?"

Ron dug into his pouch and tossed a number of coins at Malachi's feet.

"There's more where _that_ came from. Now, do we have a _deal_ or not?"

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A cloud of flour dust swirled around Ron's head and he brushed the flour off his coat. The wagon was loaded with bags of flour. Samuel counted the bags as Kim and Darla sat on the seat of the wagon. Ron finished beating the flour off his coat and walked up to speak to Kim. Darla gasped as Ron reached the front of the wagon.

"_Please_! Not _them_! Squire Lipsky and Lady Go!"

An ornate carriage emerged from the trees along the road across the field, pulled through the snow by a pair of coal black horses. Their harnesses jingled as they trotted up to the millers' yard. A large wagon with its driver followed the carriage.

Samuel's face paled a bit when he noticed who was approaching. The driver of the carriage was richly dressed as he sat atop the seat of the carriage. Kim and Ron got a good look at the occupants for the carriage as they passed. Kim glanced down at Ron, her eyes growing wide. Ron stared back up at Kim, swallowed hard and turned back to face the carriage.

There were two occupants of the carriage. One was a tall man, his coal-black hair pulled back into a ponytail under the tri-corner hat that he wore. His clothes were finely made. Except for the blue skin, he was the mirror image of Drakken. The woman sitting at his side was richly dressed in furs. Her long sable hair spilled from under the fur cap that she wore. Her skin was almost white it was so pale. Even from a distance her green eyes seemed to penetrate into one's soul. She could have been Shego's twin.

Malachi pulled his hat from his head and bowed slightly as the carriage pulled up to the door.

"Squire Lipsky. It's a wonderful surprise to see you. How may I be of service to you?"

The Squire turned to gaze down at the miller.

"I have come to buy your flour. We have some friends in need of as much as you can supply."

The miller appeared to start to sweat even in the cold air of the morning.

"Your Grace, I don't have a lot right now, but you are welcome to have what I have on hand."

The glare from the woman at the Squire's side caused Malachi to sweat even more. He swallowed hard as the woman spoke.

"We were told your warehouse was full. Could it be that you _lied_ to someone or _exaggerated_?"

Malachi shook his head.

"No, ma'am. I _did_ have a full warehouse. However, Samuel here and his friend just purchased just about everything I had."

Lipsky leered over at Samuel then turned back to the miller.

"I hope, for _your_ sake, that you didn't take any of the worthless paper that Samuel and his friends call money. You seem to have forgotten that I told you I would pay in good English coin. Perhaps I should tell my friend Mr. Tarleton that you prefer rebel money over His Majesty's."

The miller shook his head.

'No, no, Squire Lipsky! He paid with good British sterling. At least his friend did."

Squire Lipsky turned around and glared at Ron. Kim had climbed down from the wagon and stood at his side. Darla had also climbed down and stood with her husband. The Squire stood up in the carriage as the servant opened the gate on the side of the carriage. He stepped down from the carriage, and then turned to help his companion down. The woman took the Squire's arm as the two of them approached the group of four.

Samuel took off his hat and bowed just a bit. Darla lowered her gaze.

Kim and Ron stood erect and stared straight back at the approaching pair.

The Squire strode across the yard and faced Kim and Ron. Neither of the teens averted their eyes.

"And just _who_ do you think you _are_?"

Ron smirked. "This guy even sounds like Drakken," he thought.

"My name is Ron Stoppable. This is Kim. We bought this flour to take to General Washington."

A bit of fire shown in the Squire's eyes as his companion stepped up to the two of them.

"Stoppable. Hmm. You would not be related to a Zebulon Stoppliski, would you?"

Ron shook his head.

"I don't know that name."

The Lady Go's eyes took Kim in.

"_Kim_? Are you sure your name is not _Pim_? You could be her twin."

Kim shook her head. "No, my name _is_ Kim. I don't know anyone by the name of Pim."

Reaching out, the Lady Go stroked Kim's hair. Kim raised her hand to push the hand away.

The Lady Go's eyes flamed.

"You need to remember your _place_, Princess."

The Squire raised his whip and brought it down toward Kim's face. Ron's hand flew up and grabbed the whip as it came down while with his other hand he grabbed the Squire's arm. Twisting his hand, he ripped the whip from the Squire's grip and threw it to the side. The Squire took a step back and then threw a punch at Ron. Ron slipped to the side and gripped the hand as it passed. He jerked up and then down, flipping the Squire on his back in the mud of the yard. The Lady Go's hand flicked out toward Kim, who blocked it and, dropping into a low stance, performed a spin kick that knocked the Lady's feet from under her. She fell to the ground and rolled onto her back. Her stylish hat rolled off onto the snow and her hairdo came undone and spilled out into the mud.

Darla, Samuel, Malachi and the other men in the yard looked on in equal amounts of surprise and horror as the two young people put both of the Tories on the ground.

Amidst all the commotion, Ron heard a loud clank, looked up and saw the Squire's driver pull a pistol from his waistband after he cocked it. Ron's hand flicked to his boot, and, calling the Lotus Blade in the form of a large knife, threw it at the servant. The knife flew across the yard and pinned the servant's sleeve to the coach.

Everyone stood still for a few moments then Kim and Ron backed away from the two on the ground. Ron walked over to the carriage and pulled his knife from the carriage and the servant's sleeve. He snatched the pistol away from the servant, opened the flash pan and dumped the powder out, and then he dropped it into the puddle of water at the servant's feet.

"RON!" Kim yelled.

Ron spun to face the Squire as he attempted to pull a small pistol from his waistband. Kim kicked his hand up in the air as he fired, and backed up to Ron's side as they both watched the two lying on the ground.

The Squire stood and helped the Lady Go to her feet. Both of them were covered in mud and snow. Kim and Ron stepped back as the two approached their carriage. All the other men in the yard watched with Kim and Ron as the Lady Go climbed into the carriage first with the help of the servant. Squire Lipsky climbed in after her and took his seat. He glared at the two teens as the carriage jerked to a start, and then stood as the carriage left the yard.

"You may _think_ you're all _that_, but you're _not_. You haven't heard the _last_ of me. I'll…"

"Shut up, you idiot, and get us home before we freeze!" Shego hissed.

She turned to face Kim. "You just _wait_, Princess! Next time, you're _mine_!"

Kim smiled as the Squire Lipsky stumbled while turning around and fell on top of his companion.

"We'll see about _that_."

Ron slipped his knife back into his boot and turned to take Kim's hand. He leaned over and gave her a peck on the cheek.

"Thanks for having my back, KP."

Samuel walked up to the two of them.

"I think we need to head up to the camp. Squire Lipsky has quite a bit of power in this area. I think you won't be completely safe until you're in the army camp."

Darla and Samuel climbed up on the seat of the wagon while Kim and Ron climbed into the back. The two teens nestled down behind the seat and wrapped themselves in a blanket. Samuel gave a whistle and slapped the reins on the back of the horses, which started off and headed up the road.

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The ride was bumpy and Samuel took his time with the heavily loaded wagon. Kim could see some men walking along the side of the road. Their clothes were threadbare and they were wrapped in thin blankets. Some had rags wrapped around their feet.

"You there! Halt! What business do you have here?"

Kim and Ron sat up and looked around the seat of the wagon. A short man held a musket in his arms as he approached the wagon. Samuel leaned over to speak to the man.

"Good afternoon, Sergeant. I'm Samuel Reiger. I have a load of flour for the army."

The man's eyes grew wide when he noticed the full wagon.

An officer rode up on horseback, his hat pulled low over his face.

"Good afternoon, Sam. I see you have something real nice for the men. Did the miller give you trouble over the money?"

Samuel nodded.

"Sure did, Zim! But Providence helped out by sending a couple of guests that I found in my barn the other night. I found out they were looking the army camp so I got them warmed up. Come to find out the young ones were carrying hard money. The lad paid for the _whole thing_."

The officer pulled up on his horse.

"They did? Well, where _are_ these two fine people? I would like to meet them!"

Sam turned around.

"Stand up, you two. Kim. Ron. Meet Colonel Zim Possible. Zim, I would like you to meet Ron and Kim Stoppable."

Kim and Ron stood up to face the officer as he took his hat off and bowed. As he stood up there was a look of surprise on his face. But Kim and Ron were no less surprised.

"LON? PIM?"

Kim and Ron stood mute. The man staring at them was tall with dark hair and a streak of grey on both sides that went from front to back. He had a long angular nose and a thin face.

"Daddy?" Kim thought.

"I am _so_ dead," Ron thought.

Before them seated on his horse was Zim Possible, a man who could be a copy of James Possible.

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Well, I'll stop here. Kim and Ron are in the times of the American Revolution. They have already made some friends and some enemies.

The attitude of the miller was typical of the times and the people of the area. Even when the soldiers at Valley Forge were starving, most would not sell to the soldiers unless they had hard currency in coins, not paper money. The British troops in Philadelphia twenty some miles to the south would come out into the countryside and buy from the farmers in the area.

The attitudes of the Squire and his Lady were also typical of the times and area. There were plenty of those still loyal to the British Crown and generally made the lives of the patriots in the area pretty bad. They could cause the British troops to confiscate anything and everything from the people of the area.

Kim and Ron are in shock. Zim Possible is on his horse in front of them and he is the spitting image of Kim's dad.

I would like to thank MrDrP for the use of his characters from his story "1776." I really appreciate it.

Kim and the gang are property of the Disney Company. Some historic names will be coming up in the next chapters. Some of the characters of figments of my imagination.

I have had the privilege of visiting Valley Forge. My wife happens to be from the area around Philadelphia and we have visited the site on the occasion.

Thanks to my betas. I could not do this without your help.

Please leave a Review. I would appreciate hearing what you think. I will reply ASAP.

This is the Captain.  
Over and out.  
Right hand salute.


	20. Chapter 20 Valley Forge II

**Tunnel Vision**

**Chapter 20**

**Valley Forge II**

**By Captainkodak1**

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Kim swallowed as the word "Daddy?" died on her lips.

The tall officer opened his mouth once, twice and then closed it. His eyes became dark and haunted.

Sam shook his head.

"Zin, what are you _talking_ about? These folks here are Kim and Ron. Do you _know_ these two?"

Zin's face paled even more as he shook his head.

"No. Just a mistake. Kim. Ron. It's a pleasure to meet you. I must apologize for my behavior. You... you just _reminded_ me of someone. I thank you on behalf of General Washington and the men for your generosity. Please follow me and I will guide you to the supply area."

Zin placed his hat down, hiding his face, as he turned his horse around and motioned for Sam to follow him. Sam slapped the reins on the backs of the horses and started to follow him.

Kim and Ron sat down on the flour sacks. Ron leaned over to Kim.

"KP, that's…"

Kim nodded as she shook a little.

"I _know_, Ron. That's Zin Possible. My _ancestor_."

The wagon bumped and rattled along the icy road. The two teens sat in the back as they passed a group of men standing at attention in the snow. A tall man in an unusual military uniform was walking back and forth in front of them.

"Die war die schlechteste verfluchte übung, die ich überhaupt gesehen habe."

The men looked at him. He turned and shouted again.

"C'était le plus mauvais fichu exercice que j'ai jamais vu."

The man turned to another officer standing nearby. The officer smiled and stepped forward to address the men.

"The general says that was the _worst_ damn exercise he has ever _seen_."

Sam pulled the wagon to a stop while Zin Possible looked on. Zin pulled off his hat and gestured to the man shouting in German and French.

"That's our new Inspector General. General von Steuben is having problems. He can only speak German and French. We have a few officers that can speak French, so they are translating for him. Young man. Ron, isn't it?"

Ron nodded as he stood.

"Okay, young man. The general is attempting to train this company of men. They will in turn train others. If he can train someone green like you then the training program has a chance."

Zin sat up high in his saddle.

"Sergeant Miller!"

A burly man standing at the end of the line of men turned and came up to Zin.

"Yes, Colonel?"

Zin pointed to Ron.

"We have a new recruit. He has already done a service to our cause by providing some badly-needed flour. It would be a shame to put him in a regular company. Put him in the training company and take care of him."

Zin turned to Ron.

"Private, go with the Sergeant here and he will set you up with some quarters. The training company is quartered here near General Washington's headquarters so they can be near General von Steuben."

Ron raised his hand to cup Kim's chin. She closed her eyes and he leaned down and gently kissed her. She leaned into to the kiss and deepened it. They held the kiss for a few seconds and then broke apart. A small smile crossed her face.

"Booyah!" she whispered.

Neither teen noticed Zin's reaction to seeing them kiss. His face turned red, then white. His breath came in small gasps. His knuckles cracked as he held his riding crop. As his face reddened again, he turned away as Kim and Ron finished their kiss. Ron nuzzled Kim one final time, jumped off the wagon and turned to walk off with the Sergeant. Kim watched him walk off and waved when he turned one final time.

"Young lady, how are you with children?"

Kim turned to see Zin looking over at her.

Kim swallowed, thinking of how she treated Jim and Tim's soccer team, but then recalled all of the money she had earned babysitting.

"I'm _good_ with children, sir."

Zin nodded.

"Okay, normally we don't allow husbands and wives in camp. But, seeing as you two have already been a great service to this army, the both of you can stay in camp. However, you will not be staying together. Ron will be staying with the training company. Young lady, you will live in one of the homes housing the families of three of the officers. They are in need of someone to help with the children. Let's get you to your job and the supplies to the depot. Sam, let's get this flour down to the Third Division. I know that the troops from North Carolina have not received any food from their state for some time. I think _they_ should get this. I will contact General MacIntosh and tell him all this food is for his troops."

Drew Lipsky strode across the parlor of his home.

"Those two _insulted_ me. That…that boy made a _fool_ of me and that little slip of a girl _struck_ me. _Me_! Squire Lipsky struck by a mere _girl_! They will pay! By my honor, _they will pay_!"

The Lady Go sat by the fire, drinking tea.

"You fool! You pulled that pistol on the boy when you should have shot the_ girl_. I _owe_ that little brat for what she did. I'll have to throw away that cloak. I just got that from England and now it's _ruined_."

Lipsky stopped, picked up a paper and read it.

"Well, we know now that Samuel and his wife are fully supporting the rebels. I believe that the spy our friend was talking about is passing his messages through here. Samuel and Darla might be helping with that but I have no proof. We will have to catch them in the act."

The Lady Go sat back and sipped her tea.

"What do we do about those other two? Any plans?"

The Squire snapped his crop over his knee.

"I don't know. Right now, they are where we can't get to them; at least not easily. Our friend in the camp has to be careful. Maybe he can be used to lure one or both of them out."

There was a polite knock at the door and their maid entered.

"Sir, your guest has arrived."

The Lady Go smiled as the tall gentleman entered the room. His spurs jangled as he walked across the floor. The maid took his tall shako hat as he entered the door. The brass on his uniform shone along with the leather. He held his saber at his side. Taking the Lady Go's hand, he gently kissed it.

Squire Lipsky shook the man's hand as he stood.

"Welcome, Colonel Tarleton. It's so good to see you. Please join us for dinner."

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Kim stepped out of the wagon and gathered her dress around her feet. Darla handed Kim her cloak and took her hands.

"You take care of yourself and that fine man of yours."

Kim blushed as she looked down.

"We didn't cause you any trouble, did we? I mean, the Squire won't make trouble for you, will he?"

Darla shook her head.

"Don't you worry about us. He can't really do anything."

Zin stepped out of the house he had entered after their arrival. Three ladies who appeared to be in their early thirties came out with him.

"Kim, this is Mrs. MacIntosh, Mrs. Scott and Mrs. Woodford. Their husbands command the three brigades of the Third Division. Ladies, this is Kim Stoppable. She and her husband have provided all of this flour for your husbands' troops."

"Bless the two of you," spoke Mrs. MacIntosh. "The men really need this food, _especially_ the lads from North Carolina. Kim, welcome. Please come inside. We have a room for you. Zin said you were good with children and we need some help."

Kim pulled her cloak around her.

"I'm pretty good at most things; except cooking."

Mrs. Scott took Kim's arm.

"Now, don't you worry about that. We have a good cook. We just need help around the house and young hands to do it. Don't you worry about your man, either. His quarters are right over there near General Washington's, so the two of you will not be so far apart."

Kim walked up to the house and passed by Zin. She could almost feel his eyes on her. She turned to face him. The officer quickly turned away for a moment and appeared to compose himself.

"Colonel, are you _okay_?"

Zin turned back to face Kim after she asked the question. Catching his breath, he looked into Kim's emerald green eyes.

"Yes, I am _quite_ well. I must return to headquarters. Ladies. Mrs. Stoppable. Good day."

Turning his back quickly, Zin stepped over to his horse and mounted it. Without a word, he spurred his horse forward and waved for Sam to follow. Kim could see him ride up to what appeared to be Washington's headquarters. It was a two-story gray stone building with a one-story addition to the side. Smoke was coming out of the chimneys as officers and other men could be seen entering and leaving the house. Kim turned and went into the house with the other ladies.

Mrs. MacIntosh led Kim up the stairs.

"Now, young lady, your room will be here on the second floor, the second door on the front. The children's rooms are all on this floor. We'll introduce you to them later. Let's get you settled. Do you have any other clothes?"

Kim shook her head.

"No, ma'am. This is about all I have."

Mrs. MacIntosh shook her head.

"We'll have to do something about _that_. Mrs. Smith is about your size. I think we can work something out with her. Now, put your things down and come to the kitchen and we'll see if we can't get you something to eat."

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Ron's feet were cold. The night had been spent in a log shack with a clay fireplace. The fireplace put more smoke into the building than it did heat. His blanket was thin. Luckily, his hunter jacket and heavy pants kept him warm. Cutting a small strip from the blanket to help keep his head warm, he gave his blanket to David Bushnell. The soldier accepted the blanket gratefully as he was from North Carolina and their supplies were slow in coming. Ron gathered some straw onto two of the boards that made up the lower tier of bunks. Crawling in, he had settled down for a cold night's sleep.

The morning's breakfast had been fire cake, which was flour and water to make dough and then laid right on the coals of the fire. He found his cooking skills helpful when he showed the men how to mix the batter for the fire cake a little better and to scrape most of the coals down to cook the meal better.

Now they were drilling in the falling snow with Von Steuben watching over them, yelling and cursing in French and German. They had been marching back and forth across the field all morning, performing several motions together as a group. The sun hung full in the sky when the main officer called out.

"HALT!"

The company of men came to a halt. Ron held onto the heavy musket as best he could. David turned his head to whisper.

"Looks like we're going to do a firing drill. Just watch and do what I do."

"HALFCOCK!"

Ron watched David as he pulled the hammer to the musket back one click. Ron followed his lead.

"HANDLE CARTRIDGE!"

Ron put his hand in his cartridge box and grabbed one so the paper tubes were inside and held it in his hand.

"PRIME!"

Ron, following the others, bit the end off the cartridge and poured a small amount of the powder inside into the pan of the musket. The bitter taste of the powder made him wince.

"SHUT PAN!"

The men of the company snapped shut the pan under the hammer.

"CHARGE WITH CARTRIDGE!"

Ron poured the rest of the powder into the barrel and mashed the rest of the paper and ball into the end of the barrel.

"DRAW RAMMER!"

Each of the men pulled the rammer from under the barrel and held it in their hands.

"RAM CARTRIDGE!"

Ron placed the end of the rammer in the muzzle and forced the paper and ball all the way down until he could not force it any further.

"RETURN RAMMER!"

All the men replaced the rammer to its place under the barrel. Ron followed David's motions as he held the musket straight on his right side.

"MAKE READY!"

Ron reached over with his hand and pulled the hammer of his musket back one more click to full cock.

"PRESENT!"

Ron noticed the Sergeant had been carrying a long pike and now used the pike to point down the empty field. All the men followed the lead of the Sergeant and pointed their muskets in the same direction as the Sergeant's pike. They held their position, waiting for the order.

"FIRE!"

Ron pulled the trigger and his world disappeared in a flash of powder and a small explosion. Next thing he knew, Ron was sitting in the snow with his rifle resting on his knees. His shoulder felt like Monkey Fist had gotten a punch through to it. The men around him laughed and helped him to his feet. David looked over at him.

"Be sure to _brace_ yourself next time. Haven't you ever fired a musket?"

Ron nodded knowing he needed to say "Yes".

"Yeah, I guess I'm a little out of practice."

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Kim pushed a stray hair out from her face as she finished a story with the children. She knew next would be lessons in reading and writing for the older ones and naptime for the younger ones. Her story was full of brave knights, beautiful princesses and mean kings. There were six children, ranging in age from about six months to seven years. Kim held the baby in her lap as the children filed out of the room.

Mrs. MacIntosh stood in the door as the children passed by her, then stepped into the room. Kim tried to hold the baby up to her but the little girl clung to her vest. Mrs. MacIntosh laughed.

"Well, looks like you have made a friend there, Kim. Now come here, little one. It's time for your meal. Kim, would you help Mrs. Scott clean up the parlor? Colonel Possible, General Washington and General MacIntosh are going to have a meeting there this morning. Do you think you could help her with serving a snack?"

Kim paled a little bit, but nodded. She felt something was wrong between her ancestor and herself but could not figure out why. Then she would be in the same room as General George Washington. She hoped that she would not dump the tray of snacks on anyone. She could see her name going down in local history as the girl who dumped a tankard of hot cider in the lap of General Washington.

Kim dusted the furniture while Mrs. Scott swept the floor. General Woodford's wife had baked some cookies from a recipe she obtained from the owner of the Raleigh Tavern in Williamsburg. Kim turned when there was a knock on the door. Walking over to the door, she opened it to find Colonel Zin Possible standing there. Zin blinked in surprise and then recovered his composure.

"Ahhh, Mrs. Stoppable. I see you are well. May I come in?"

Kim nodded. "Why of course, Colonel Possible. May I take your hat and cloak?"

Zin stepped into the hall as Kim closed the door behind him. He handed her his hat and cloke then turned to enter the parlor. Kim stepped down the hall and put his things on a peg on the wall. Another knock on the door sounded and Mrs. Scott answered the door this time. She pulled the door open and two men entered. There was no doubt who the first man was; she had studied pictures of the man almost all her life. It was George Washington. The two men handed Mrs. Scott their things and turned to walk into the parlor. Mrs. Scott came down the hall and placed the cloaks and hats on the pegs.

"Come with me, Kim, and we'll get the men their refreshments."

Kim entered the kitchen and picked up the tray that was ready. She let Mrs. Scott lead the way into the room as the men were discussing something.

General Washington sat back in his chair.

"Our Mr. Clark needs some help in Philadelphia. He needs some extra eyes and someone to carry the messages out of Philadelphia. They would need to be someone no one will notice and could move about with no problems. They also need to be someone no one knows. Mr. Clark said if we could get someone to work in one of the main tavern the British go to, it would be perfect."

Zin settled back in his chair, holding his tankard.

"We could only be so lucky to find someone like _that_."

Kim bit her lip for a moment and then turned to Zin as she poured him some more cider.

"Sir, my boyfr-… I mean, Ron, my husband, is a good cook. I can do almost anything. We'd like to volunteer."

Zin's eyes grew wide at Kim's statement. Kim thought he was going to pass out right in the middle of the floor.

"Young lady, what is your name?"

Turning around to face the speaker, Kim saw General Washington looking at her.

"Kim… Kim Stoppable," she answered. "We just came into camp yesterday."

General MacIntosh spoke up.

"General Washington, this young lady and her husband were the ones who paid for all that flour."

General Washington nodded at the statement and then gestured for Kim to come to him. He took her hands for a moment.

"You two are not known around here, are you?"

Kim shook her head.

Washington nodded.

"Do you realize what would happen to the two of you if you are _caught_?"

Kim swallowed, and then nodded.

"Yes, sir."

General Washington leaned over to Zin.

"Colonel, do you know where this young man is?"

Zin stood.

"Yes, sir. He is part of the training company. I'll go get him."

General Washington nodded again and motioned for Kim to sit in the chair next to him.

"Sit here with me, please. It is a pleasure to see such a pretty young girl willing to do something so _dangerous_ for her country."

Kim blushed for a moment.

"Thank you, sir. But you see, when Ron and I are together, it seems that there's nothing we can't do."

Kim stepped over to the chair to sit down. Washington stood as she sat and took her hand as she sat down. Washington returned to his seat. They sat there in silence for a few minutes as they waited for Ron and Zin to return. Soon there were footsteps on the porch and the front door opened. Zin came into the room with Ron behind him. His eyes grew wide when he saw who Kim was sitting with. He quickly snatched his hat off his head. Kim stood, stepped to his side and held his hand.

General Washington turned to Ron.

"Young man, your wife here has offered your services for a rather _dangerous_ mission. Did Colonel Possible fill you in?"

Ron nodded.

"Yes, sir. If Kim says we could do it, then we'll do it."

The three men shared a look between them. Zin stared at Kim and Ron standing hand-in-hand there in the parlor. He started to wring his hands for a moment. Washington stood as he addressed them.

"How about the two of you stepping into the kitchen for a few minutes?"

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Kim sat in a chair in the parlor with Ron standing behind her. Mrs. Scott had obtained a change of clothes for Ron so he was not dressed like a soldier. A frilly white shirt covered with a dark vest, knee-length pants with socks completed his outfit. The two teens sat in front of the three officers and waited. Zin spoke up first.

"Kim. Ron. I hope you realize how _dangerous_ this will be. If the British catch you, they'll hang you without a second thought. Normally I wouldn't think a young girl and a young man should take on such a mission. But, you remind me of someone; someone dear to me, someone lost to me. They would have done the same as you and volunteered. We have decided to accept your offer. General MacIntosh will arrange for transportation to sneak you into Philadelphia. Our agent will help you get into town and get you to your job."

General MacIntosh stood beside Zin.

"Ron, you will be working as a cook in a tavern near where the British officers have their quarters. Kim, you will be working in the tavern as a serving girl. Another part of your job will be to buy produce from the different markets. This will give you the ability to move around town and get messages to and from our agent. Now, I think the two of you should get the bags we have packed for you."

General Washington stood.

"Colonel, please call Captain Danford in. I would like him to make a drawing of these two for my papers."

Zin motioned for the officer to enter the room. He sat down and started to draw on his paper. Mrs. MacIntosh came to the door with her baby to watch as the picture was drawn. The baby saw Kim and fussed, reaching out toward her. Mrs. MacIntosh carried the baby over to Kim. Kim smiled as she took the baby in her lap. Captain Danford smiled.

"Now _that_ is what the picture needed."

Kim blushed.

"But he's not my baby."

Danford just shrugged.

"It still makes for a great picture."

Kim turned her head to look up at Ron. He smiled down at her and placed his hand on her shoulder. Kim turned back to face the artist.

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Ann Possible was sitting with Gene and Jean in the lab as they waited for the next update on where and when Kim and Ron were. They were expecting for the two teens to send a message soon and they wanted to be there when the message came in. Dr. Possible was in his office with Wade, scanning through historical documents and archives for any information that might help Kim and Ron.

Wade came out of Dr. Possible's office and hurried for the bathroom.

"ANNNNNN!!!!"

A loud crash came from the office.

Ann jumped up from her seat and ran for her husband's office. She entered the room to find him standing, pointing at the computer screen, his overturned chair lying on the floor.

"A b-b-b… a ba... a bab… a bill… a BABY?"

Ann watched his eyes roll back into his head as he passed out and fell to the floor.

"JAMES!"

She knelt at his side and checked his pulse. He was slowly coming around. She stood and stepped over to the computer screen to see what upset him so much. Her chin nearly hit the floor. Gene and Jean joined her around the screen. A small squeal came from Mrs. Stoppable as she stared at the screen.

Across the top of the screen were the words "From the personal archives of Danford Family, Valley Forge."

On the screen was what appeared to be a sketch. The sketch was of two young people in period dress of the Revolutionary War. It was Kim and Ron. They both appeared to be happy and well. But that was not the _only_ thing in the picture. On Kim's lap was a small, very happy baby.

Anne's mouth started to work after a few moments.

"OH, MY WORD!"

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Colonel Tarleton was an actual British Calvary officer, a rather ruthless one at that. If you have ever seen the movie "The Patriot" with Mel Gibson, the British calvary officer in the movie was portrayed as Tarleton. The names of the generals are actual names.

My great thanks to MrDrP for his help with the portrayal of Zin Possible, and his permission to use his character.

My great thanks also to my betas. I could not do it without you. GrandpaRD thanks for the phone call the other day. That really made my day. I hope you are feeling better.

I hope you enjoy this installment of Tunnel Vision.

Please leave a review. I would appreciate it. I will try and respond ASAP.


	21. Chapter 21 Valley Forge III

**Tunnel Vision  
Chapter 21  
Valley Forge III**

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**Valley Forge  
General Washington's Headquarters.**

Kim and Ron were sitting in the front room of the headquarters building as officers came and went. Zin Possible was in General Washington's office, along with General McIntyre and another gentleman referred to as Mr. Clark. Kim and Ron each had a small case with them full of clothes the general's wives had found for them scouting through the other homes and the camp. Later, after supper, the two teens were advised to head for Kim's room to get some sleep. Ron was about to speak that they would need separate rooms when Kim's elbow reminded him that she was known as Mrs. Stoppable. They entered the room and readied for bed.

Kim laid a couple more blankets on the bed and crawled in. Ron made sure one blanket was between them as he crawled in. They snuggled close together as Kim pulled the Kimmunicator out and activated it. It was the first time that they had to use the device since their escape from the Western sitch. Kim scrolled down a number of messages and activated the screen. The first message was from her father.

"Kimmie-cub. Ronald. We have a couple of questions for you.

"One, _when_ did you get married and _why_? Two, what is the timeframe there? Please explain the baby we saw. We love the two of you but we are not ready to be grandparents before our own parents were even _born_. Ron, when you two get back, we need to talk."

The next message was from Wade and Mrs. Possible.

"Kim. Ron. Please don't get upset over your father's message. We thought he was still passed out from the shock of seeing the baby. Before we knew it, he had sent the message. We know the period and place you are in. You have to be extra careful who you meet. This is the first time you have been in the same time and place of one of your ancestors. We do not know what Zin Possible looks like but try to avoid meeting him."

Kim and Ron looked at each other when they read that.

"Oh, well. Too late to worry about _that_," Ron whispered.

The other messages just gave them basic information on the time period. Kim typed in a message asking for information on taverns popular with British troops in the Philadelphia area and any information about the troops they could expect to meet. Kim put the device under her pillow and, after a long, slow kiss, she and Ron snuggled down to get some sleep.

Kim's thoughts came back to the present when she heard footsteps.

The door to Washington's office opened and Zin stepped out, motioning for Kim and Ron to enter. They stood together, automatically taking each other's hand. Washington's office was not big but was well lit and had a warm fire burning in the fireplace. Another man sat against the far wall and watched the two of them intently as they entered the room. Washington stood and gestured for Kim to take the chair in front of his desk. Kim sat down as Ron stood behind her. Kim covered his hand with hers as he placed it on her shoulder. The two teens watched as the General took his seat. Zin closed the door and stood there.

General Washington held Kim and Ron in his eyes for a moment before he spoke.

"Kim. Ron. I hope you don't mind me speaking so informally but what you have volunteered to do means a great deal to me and the cause of this nation. The British will be expecting for us to send in spies, so be careful. Our contact in Philadelphia will be able to get you jobs in a tavern used by the British and Hessians. Listen in on their conversations. Read any correspondence that you can without being caught. Your contact in Philadelphia will pose as a merchantman from the area and will contact you to obtain any information that you may have."

Kim and Ron nodded that they understood.

Washington gestured to the man sitting at the wall.

"This is Mr. Clark. He will get you into Philadelphia. Now I will ask you again. Are you _sure_ you want to do this? You are both very young and you have full lives in front of you. If the British or Hessians catch you, there will be nothing we can do."

Ron squeezed Kim's shoulder as she spoke.

"General Washington, we feel it's our duty to serve our country this way. Each of us has our duties to perform. I don't feel it is my duty to stay behind and serve my husband by bearing children. Ron and I have been together most of our lives and been friends long before we came together. We have always done almost everything together. Together, we _know_ that we can do this."

Washington smiled as Ron looked down at Kim while she looked up at him, beaming.

"You seem to be very confident, young lady."

Kim nodded as she reached up to pat Ron's hand.

"Side by side, General, we can do _anything_."

The other occupants of the room did not see Zin Possible literally turn white at the words that Kim spoke. He visibly flinched when Kim spoke of their duty. A sheen of sweat appeared when Kim mentioned that side by side they could do anything.

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**The Indian King Tavern  
Outside of Philadelphia**

"Sie, Mädchen, mit dem roten Haar, mehr Bier."

The raucous laughter that followed caused Kim to cringe. The Hessian soldiers that came to the Indian King Tavern were worse than the British soldiers. At least it was mostly British Officers who came to the tavern; they behaved with some manners. She wished it was the same for the Hessians.

The Hessian soldiers acted like animals at times. Most of the other girls would not serve them. She started to help after a certain incident. A Hessian corporal had grabbed her butt while yelling:

"Nun da ein hübscher Esel ist!"

The corporal returned to his unit with a broken nose courtesy of the pewter plate Kim had bent across his face. After that, the clientele would yell at her, but none dared to touch her.

"You! Girl! Over here! Have you forgotten our dinner?"

Kim rolled her eyes at Ron, who had stuck his head out of the kitchen to hand her a tray of plates. He turned to fill two tankards of beer and carried them out to the table of Hessians. Ron had to work a little harder in the 18th Century-style kitchen. Even though he was used to using a real stove and other cooking items, he had quickly taken to the kitchen of the tavern.

Kim approached the table where the British Officers sat. She noticed that one officer was wearing a cavalry officer's uniform but that it was green instead of red. She placed the plates in front of each of the men and stepped back.

"Is there anything _else_ that I could get you fine officers?"

The men at the table laughed.

One of the captains waved to Kim and pointed to the cavalry officer.

"Miss, I would like to introduce you to Colonel Tarleton. He has come to Philadelphia to raise a squadron of cavalry from some of your fellow subjects to fight the rebels."

Kim curtsied to Tarleton.

"I am pleased to meet you."

Kim noted to herself that this was one of the officers that she had been instructed to watch for.

Tarleton sat back and regarded Kim for a moment.

"I must say I am pleased to meet you as well. I could be pleased to meet you later, but according to my fellow officers here, you are already married to the man who has prepared this fine meal for us. Also, I like my face the way it is and, after you rearranged the face of that Hessian Corporal, I think I will leave you to your husband."

Kim blushed.

"Thank you, sir."

Tarleton waved her over.

"Tell me, child: who are you loyal to?"

Kim stood straight. "To King and Country, sir!"

Tarleton nodded.

"And what about your fellow countrymen who stand against us?"

Kim thought for a moment and remembered a line from a movie she had seen with Ron. She threw her head back and grinned at Tarleton.

"Those neighbors of mine who stand against England deserve to die a traitor's death."

The other officers and Tarleton applauded.

"Well spoken, young lady! Please do us the honor of serving us in the future."

Kim beamed knowing this would give her better access to the information she was seeking.

"It would be a _pleasure_, sir. Now, may I get you something else to drink?"

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**Washington's Headquarters  
Valley Forge**

Two candles lit Zin Possible's desk in the Headquarters building as he completed the day's work. The paperwork of running an army could be endless. Zin placed a stack of papers to the side and sat back, looking out over the countryside through his window. It had been a day since Kim and Ron had left for their assignment. Zin pulled a sheet of paper out of the stack from the General's office. It was the picture of Kim and Ron with the baby. The conversation in the General's office had brought forth memories that he wished could have stayed buried. When Kim spoke of her and Ron's thoughts of duty, it nearly broke his heart. He remembered what he thought his daughter's duty was: the exact opposite of what Kim had stated. To see again the ease at which Kim and Ron stood side by side; he nearly had to leave the room when she said that together she and Ron could do anything.

Zin opened the drawer to his desk and pulled a picture out. It had been drawn by a friend of Pim and Lon in much happier times. It had been Pim's last birthday before everything had happened. She was so happy with Lon around. Then the scene changed and his vision turned to the day of the wedding. It had been a small affair in the Mankey home. Pim had refused to speak to him, and even refused to let him escort her in. She walked in alone and stood beside the Squire. She had not spoken a word to him since that day. Pim had given the Squire what he wanted within a year of the wedding. Zin was a grandfather but he would never see this grandson. His wife had seen the child but he was forbidden ever to set foot on the premises.

A gust of wind rattled the window in front of him. The flames of the candles bent back and forth from the draft. His thoughts went to the two young people working in that tavern and to the times when Pim and Lon had snuck out on missions with his troops. This was a great deal more dangerous than anything that Pim and Lon had done. He had some control over what Pim and Lon did and was able to somewhat protect the two. Now, however, if something went wrong, Kim and Ron would have little if any chance of surviving. He hoped that they would be able to survive the coming days. If they got back alive, he would have to do something, if only for his own conscience's sake.

He glanced down at the two pictures again, slowly bowed his head and wept.

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**Middleton Space Center  
Middleton, Colorado**

Mr. Possible sat back on the couch in his office with an ice pack on his forehead. He had incurred headaches before but this one beat them all. When all of his "posse" was in college, Drew Lipsky had challenged him to a drinking contest to see who could guzzle the most shot glasses of beer. Drew consumed sixty-eight. James finished seventy-two and the next morning swore off anything alcoholic for the rest of his life. His head felt like a full battery of artillery was inside having itself a wonderful time bombarding everything in sight. He also remembered the idiotic message that he had sent to Ron. Anne did not say a thing but the look she gave told him that he was in major trouble.

All James could think about was his Kimmie-cub being married. _His_ Kimmie-cub being married to _Ron_! Then he found the picture. Anne had to get some of his blood pressure medication from home. He really felt like a fool. Overreacting was something Ron always did; now he was overreacting to practically everything lately. He had also spent time reading over the history of Zin Possible. Most of Zin's papers were lost over time, so they knew very little about his family.

He felt Anne sit down beside him. He pulled the ice pack off his face to gaze up at his wife.

"Do I look like as big a fool as I've acted?"

Anne shook her head and laid a hand on his cheek.

"No, I see a father who cares dearly for his daughter, yet also needs to realize that his little girl isn't little anymore. Honey, Kim will be eighteen soon. Would you really be upset if she and Ron got married? Just how proud a grandfather do you think you'll be when Kim brings home our first grandchild? "

James groaned as he let the icepack fall back on his face.

"I know, I know. It's just that Ron…"

Anne took his hand.

"What _about_ Ron? Who would you _rather_ she be with? You were so overboard for that Eric thing Prom Night because he fit exactly what _you_ wanted for Kim. Yet, when Kim and Ron had that first date you treated him like some kind of fiend. What did that perfect boy turn out to be and what has Ron turned out to be? Honey, I don't know about you, but I celebrate the day that Ron came into Kimmie's life. He may not be the smartest, or the best looking or even the one with the best manners. Yet, look at what has happened to the two of them. I don't know of many men who could have gone through what those two have and still remained sane. And all this time, Ron's clear and main thought has been to take care of Kim."

James sat up on his couch, dropped the ice pack on the floor and stared down at it.

"I know. But …_I'm_ supposed to be the one to take care of her."

Ann patted him on the arm.

"I know, but I don't think you can take care of her forever. Kim is starting to find herself and she doesn't need anyone to take of her, unless she has chosen someone to do so."

James sighed.

"And Kimmie has made that choice about someone else?"

Anne nodded.

James covered his face.

"I didn't make Jean and Gene angry, did I? I mean, I don't really remember what I said or what was in the message I sent to Kim but I have a feeling it might not have been real nice."

"We didn't mind one bit, James."

Mr. Possible looked up to see Ron's parents standing there with a two trays of food and drinks.

"We know what Kim means to you," said Gene. "And we know what Kim means to Ron. Now that all of that is out of the way, let's get something to eat. Also, there's a new message from Kim and Ron. They've met Zin Possible and General Washington."

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**A snow covered street  
Philadelphia, PA**

The snow fell as Kim drove the small wagon up the street in Philadelphia. British soldiers walked the streets buying from the vendors at the market. Ron brushed some snow from Kim's shoulder as he turned to look at her. The owner of The Indian King asked them to go to the market to pick up some supplies and also to drop by another tavern owned by a friend of his to trade some rum for some wine. The tavern they were heading for was called the Man Full of Trouble. It was in a rougher part of Philadelphia near the docks.

Kim turned the team down the street and slapped the reins on the back of the horse. Ron noted the soldiers walking along the street. Mr. Clark had shown them drawings of the various unit badges of the British units in Philadelphia, along with those of the Hessian units. He and Kim would try and notice if any new units appeared in the areas of town where they were driving. After trading the rum for the wine, they were supposed to turn back to one of the nicer parts of town and deliver a case of the wine to Colonel Tarlatan.

Ron saw the sign of the tavern hanging out over the street. On it was a man holding a parrot while a monkey sat on his shoulder. There was a woman standing beside and behind the man. The words "Man Full of Trouble" were spelled out along the bottom of the sign. Kim pulled the wagon to a stop in front of a two-story brick building. There were two doors and two windows on the bottom front with four windows across the front on the second floor. Ron jumped off the wagon and knocked on the door. The door was pulled open and a bleary-eyed man stared back at Ron.

"Whaddaya want?"

Ron handed the man the paper his employer had given to him. The tavern owner read the paper and nodded. He turned and yelled inside the building.

"Max! Daniel! Get that wine out of the cellar! Help this lad get the rum off the wagon! Take one in here and put the rest in the basement!"

Two younger men came out to the wagon and started to unload the kegs of rum. One of them motioned for Ron to follow him down into the basement. Ron picked up one of the kegs of rum and followed him down the steep steps into the basement of the tavern. He put the keg on the floor and faced the one known as Daniel. Daniel stuck out his hand to shake Ron's.

"My name's Daniel. You and your wife must be the new members of our little network."

Ron let out his breath. This was the first time they would be meeting any of the others in the spy network in Philadelphia.

"Yeah, my name's Ron. Kim's up there with the wagon. The information is at the bottom of that case of rum."

Daniel looked around then nodded.

"It's okay to talk freely."

Ron relaxed a bit.

"There is a Colonel Tarleton that has shown up. Everyone says he's new but that it is very important that he is here."

Daniel nodded.

"Yes. Try and get any and all information that you can from him."

Daniel handed Ron a case of wine bottles.

"This is the one that you're to deliver to Tarleton's quarters. Hopefully this little gift will get him to come to The Indian King often and create a little goodwill. If he trusts you, then maybe he'll not be too careful about what he says. Oh, here is another case. This one you're to deliver to General Howe's headquarters. He's the commanding officer here in Philadelphia. Maybe the two of you will be able to take a good look around."

Ron nodded and headed up the steps back to the wagon. Daniel and Max helped him to carry the cases of wine up the steps and settle them into the back of the wagon.

"Good luck!" Daniel called as Ron climbed up on the wagon and took his seat next to Kim. Ron tipped his hat as Kim whistled to the horse and slapped the reins on the horse's back. The wagon jerked to a start and headed down the icy street.

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**Drakken's Lair  
Somewhere near Middleton**

Shego sat back in her chair in the lair, reading a magazine. Drakken worked on some gadget that he bragged would help destroy Kim and Ron. There were so many troops around the Space Center now it would be virtually impossible to mount a full attack now. She knew that, and had no desire to give that little red-haired brat and her robo horse another chance. It was still difficult to have a full workout in the gym. Any high kick was out of the question. A nice pillow was still her best friend on a bad day.

A small explosion rocked the lair.

A small whimpering voice called out.

"Shego, a little help."

Shego rolled her eyes and put down her magazine.

"Big ouchie, average ouchie, or little ouchie?"

There was a moment of silence before Drakken replied.

"Remember when I interrupted you last time when you had 'Midas' here?"

Shego let loose a contented sigh in memory of how Midas made her feel. Then she remembered what she did to Drakken when he insisted on interrupting.

"Ahhh, Doc. Which med-kit? The Maxi-unit or the plain unit?"

Drakken peered around the corner of his lab door.

"Do we have anything bigger than the Maxi-unit?"

Shego covered her face.

"Oyyyy. Okay, Doc. On my way."

Shego stepped over to a closet and pulled out a large crate on wheels with a red cross on the side.

"I'm coming, Doctor D."

She pushed the crate into the lab.

"Ohhhh. I'll bet _that_ smarts."

"SHHHHEEEGGGOOOOO!!!"

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**A street near the Headquarters of British Army  
Philadelphia, PA**

The wagon approached a modest home located near Howe's headquarters. Their delivery of the wine to the headquarters building had gone without a hitch. Troops were everywhere patrolling the streets. All appeared well-clothed and well-fed. Ron remembered the conditions that the men at Valley Forge were living under and shuddered. Both of them observed that there were quite a few people on horseback dressed in a uniform similar to Tarleton's. Kim noticed the number of the home and pulled up in front. Ron jumped down from the wagon and knocked on the door. The door opened and a sergeant stood in the door. Ron took his hat off and bowed slightly.

"We have a delivery from The Indian King Tavern for Colonel Tarleton."

Tarleton's voice called from inside the home.

"It's quite alright, Briggs. I was expecting the young man. Come on in, son."

Ron turned and gestured toward the wagon.

"Let me get the shipment for you, sir."

Tarleton came into the room and looked out the window.

"Ahhh, you have your lovely wife with you. Please invite her in and bring in the case. The two of you must be half frozen. Come in and warm yourselves."

Tarleton turned toward the back of the house.

"Corporal, bring two tankards of hot cider to the front room."

Ron helped Kim from the seat on the wagon and pulled the crate of wine from the back. They walked up the steps and entered the room while Tarleton held the door. Closing the door, Tarleton turned and motioned for Ron to put the case of wine on the table. Ron set the case on the table as Tarleton stepped up and pulled one bottle from the open case.

"This looks to be wonderful."

Tarleton put the bottle back and motioned for the sergeant to take the case away. The corporal came in the room carrying two tankards of hot spiced cider. The two teens held the tankards in their hands to warm them. Tarleton pulled a chair over for Kim in front of the fire.

"Please thank your employer for me. I appreciate the gift. Now, tell me how the two of you came to work at The Indian Head."

Kim nearly choked but covered it up. She would have to come up with a story quickly.

"We came here to find work, figuring while you and your friends were here it would be safe. Many of our friends did not like our support of the King, so we had to leave. Someday we hope to go to England."

Yells and screams were heard outside. Kim and Ron set down their cider and jumped to the door. Tarleton had already opened the door. A group of Royal Marines were chasing a blond-haired young man up the street.

"Deserter! Stop him!"

Kim and Ron watched as several of the soldiers on the street blocked the man's escape. He jumped up on their wagon and used the extra height to leap over some of the men in front of him. His clothes were in tatters from his apparent escape attempt. Four more soldiers blocked his way and tackled him when he tried to run by. The young man was quickly beaten to the ground by the time the group of three Royal Marines caught up with him. Kim made a move forward but Ron quickly took her arm and shook his head. They could not help the man.

Tarleton stood over the man as he lay bleeding unconscious in the street, his shirt ripped from his body. Kim saw his back and had to turn away. Ron swallowed as he gazed at the sight. The man's back was literally covered in scars as if his back had been shredded.

The Marines arrived gasping for breath in the cold air. They snapped to attention when they realized Tarleton was an officer. The sergeant in the group saluted.

"Thank you, sir, for the assistance. We've been chasing this one ever since he swam ashore from his ship. This is the second time he has tried to desert."

Tarleton glanced down with distain at the man lying in the street.

"I would have thought you would hang him for that."

The sergeant shook his head.

"The captain doesn't want to lose a good sailor. This one is good as long as you keep a close watch on him. You have to put him in irons every time the ship puts into port. Apparently he got so skinny he was able to escape."

The two other Marines had picked up the youth and started to drag him over to the side of the street.

"Do you have any transportation that we can use to take him back to the port?"

Tarleton glanced around and his eyes fell on Kim and Ron.

"Ahh, I believe these two subjects of the King would be willing to help."

Kim and Ron swallowed as Ron rubbed the back of his neck.

"Colonel, we are expected back at the tavern. If we're late we could lose our jobs."

Tarleton laughed.

"Ahhh, I'll take care of that. I'll send a messenger to the Tavern to let your employer know that you're doing a service for the King. Besides, I need to let him know I'm planning a dinner party for some fellow officers and friends. I want the two of you to serve us that night. I plan to pay double for your services so I don't think he's going to complain. Now, help these fine Marines take that piece of trash back to the docks."

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**The Indian King Tavern  
near Philadelphia**

Kim pushed a stray lock of hair out of her face. The two of them were preparing for the Tarleton's dinner. The owner of the tavern had been delighted for them to help the Marines, especially when it came to the money he would make for the dinner. The trip to the docks had been quiet. The Marines sat in the back with the man as they made their way to the docks. Kim glanced back to see the young man move slightly then pass out again.

"What happened to his back?"

One of the Marines turned to Kim.

"He has tried to desert before and he got ten lashes for it. I bet the Captain gives him fifteen this time."

Kim blanched and turned back to face forward.

They arrived at the docks where the Marines pulled the man from the back of the wagon and drug him toward a waiting boat. Kim took the reins from Ron and whistled to the horse. He pulled away and they headed back to the tavern.

The Marine sergeant sat with the young man as he was thrown to the bottom of the boat.

"Well, Lon, me boy. If you survive the lashing you're sure to get, I'm sure the Captain won't let you see land again for a _long time_. You might as well put the little lass Pim out of your mind. You'll never see _her_ again."

Kim picked up one tray of food while Ron got the tray of drinks. They entered the dining room and approached the table. Tarleton noticed them approaching and announced it to his friends and fellow officers.

"Well, Ladies and Gentlemen. Let me present to you two of the finest of the King's subjects. This is Ron and Kim Stoppable."

Ron and Kim approached the table and abruptly halted. There were two faces at the table that they did not expect to see.

"Well, well, well. Two of the King's subjects. That's interesting that two of the King's subjects would buy a load of flour for the rebel army at Valley Forge."

The Lady Go sat with a smirk on her face as Squire Lipsky stood to face the two teens.

"Colonel Tarleton, let me present to you the two young people we told you about when you had dinner at our house. King's subjects _indeed_."

Two trays fell to the floor as Tarleton and the other officers jumped to their feet, sabers and swords hissing from their scabbards. Kim and Ron started to back away from the table and out of the room.

"This is _not_ good," Kim moaned.

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The first sentence by the Hessian is "You, girl with the red hair, more beer!" The second quote is "Now this is a nice butt!" Saying that to Kim? He is lucky his voice is still deep.

Looks like the Squire and Lady Go showed up at the worst possible moment. Now the sitch is getting deeper. Stay tuned for the next chapter.

Please leave a review. I would appreciate it.


	22. Chapter 22 Valley Forge IV

**Tunnel Vision 22  
****Valley Forge IV  
****By Captainkodak1 **

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The snowfall was heavy as Mr. Clark trudged toward the rear door of The Indian King Tavern. Before he could reach it, he had to step over one very drunken Hessian sprawled out on the steps.

Carter wanted to check on Kim and Ron. His other agents had informed him about the two teens being asked by the British officer to take the impressed sailor back to his ship. A new critical mission had come up. He needed them to deliver a package to General Washington.

Just as Clark was about to knock on the door, bedlam broke out in the front of the tavern. Tables and chairs could be heard being overturned, along with the breaking of dishes, soldiers yelling and a woman screaming. Clark leapt off the rear steps and hurried around to the front of the building. Glancing in the window, his heart sank at the sight.

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Kim could be seen struggling against the hands that pinned her arms behind her. She started to spin to try and throw off the soldier holding her when she felt a small prick at her neck. Lifting her eyes, she saw Tarleton staring at her, his eyes ablaze, his saber pointed at her throat.

Looking to her left, Kim saw Ron standing there with two soldiers holding his arms while two officers aimed their sabers at his chest. Any attempt to fight at this moment was hopeless: they would be cut to shreds. Kim swallowed hard and ceased to struggle.

"BIND THEM!" Tarleton ordered. "CALL THE PROVOST!"

Ron heard Kim hiss as her hands were yanked behind her and bound. Pain seared through his arms and shoulders as he was treated the same. A blow to his back sent him to his knees. Glancing sideways, he saw Kim on her knees as well, her eyelids clamped shut in pain.

Tarleton stepped back as tables and chairs were taken away to clear an area in front of the two teens.

Kim stared at the floor, the stinging pain from the blow she had just received slowly receding. A gasp from Ron told her that he was in the same shape. Turning her head, she saw him staring back at her, a quick wink reassuring her that he had her back, no matter what.

Out of a corner of her eye Kim observed a pair of feminine shoes approach. Yanked to her feet, a hand gripped the hair on the back of her head, pulling her face up.

The Lady Go stood before her, a smirk on her face. Stepping forward, she raised her hand to grab Kim by the jaw. In spite of the pain, Kim glared back, not once blinking or breaking her gaze.

"Well, well, well. It's the little princess. You remember what I _said_ that day? Well, you are gonna be _mine_ now."

Stepping back, the Lady Go let fly with a vicious slap that snapped Kim's face to one side, jarring her teeth. Growling, Ron sprung at the Lady Go, only to have his path blocked by Squire Lipsky and Tarleton. Lipsky snapped back Ron's head with a left to the jaw. Tarleton followed with a jab to the midsection that doubled Ron over.

Seeing her boyfriend ganged up on, Kim decided the odds needed a little evening. A quick spin move freed her long enough to send a jump kick to Tarleton's jaw, knocking him backwards onto a table, where he rolled off and onto the floor.

As he pulled himself to his feet, his once-spotless uniform was now covered in food.

A rifle butt blow between the shoulder blades drove Kim back to her knees.

Tarleton scraped the remains of the food from his uniform and stood in front of the two teens. A grin split his face.

"Well, well. I seem to recall something this young lady said. Do _you_ remember, you little wench?"

Tarleton motioned for both teens to rise. Kim and Ron were jerked to their feet and made to stand in front of Tarleton. Tarleton bent down so his face was level to Kim and Ron's faces. He spoke in a falsetto voice.

"'Those neighbors of mine who stand against England deserve to die a traitor's death.'"

Tarleton stood upright. "Spies you are! Traitors you are! A traitor's death you will have! Lock them up! We'll hang them in the morning. Search their room and bring any papers to me. Find out where they traveled yesterday and who they talked to. We'll take them to my headquarters, as I have a few questions for the both of them. Squire Lipsky, Lady Go, would you care to accompany me? I believe you will enjoy the _entertainment_."

A squad of soldiers came into the room and surrounded the two teens. Eighteen inch gleaming bayonets faced them. Escorted by the guards, Kim and Ron were driven stumbling out of the room to a wagon waiting for them in front of the tavern.

The guards picked the two teens up like sacks of potatoes, threw them into the back of the wagon and climbed in after them. One of the soldiers reached into a box under the seat of the wagon and pulled out two pairs of shackles. Kneeling in front of Kim and Ron, the soldier closed the shackles around each of their ankles and sat back.

As the wagon pulled away from the tavern, Kim caught sight of Mr. Clark standing at the corner of the building and moving back into the darkness.

Mr. Clark quietly guided his horse from around the back of the tavern and mounted it. He slowly walked his horse away from the tavern until he was some distance away, and then whipped the horse into a full gallop, racing through the streets of Philadelphia. Within minutes he had arrived at the front door of the "Man Full of Trouble" Tavern.

Entering the tavern, Clark made his way past a number of sailors and workers until he found the tavern owner and whispered something in his ear. The owner turned to the two workers standing beside him.

"Daniel. Max. This man is in need of a keg of the Indian King's rum. Help him downstairs and let him get one."

The two workers recognized the code words: something was wrong and they needed to get the man into the basement without any other questions or comments. The three men descended the stairs into the dark basement. Mr. Clark turned and faced the two others.

"The British have Kim and Ron. Someone recognized them and turned them over. Tarleton has them and is taking them to his headquarters."

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Rufus climbed out of his bed on top of Mr. Dr. P.'s file case. Looking around the office, he saw that Mrs. P. was asleep on the couch. Mr. Possible had stepped out to get himself a cup of coffee. Rufus could never understand why his humans liked to drink the dark, smelly drink. He knew that it was one of Kim's favorites. She drank it black with no sugar. Rufus often wondered how Kim would act later. She could barely drag herself into the kitchen and fix herself a pot. Rufus marveled how someone so inept in the kitchen managed to operate such a complex coffee maker even when half asleep. Kim would drink some of her brew and within minutes be the happy, perky, over-the-top active Kim they all knew and loved.

Scurrying down from his perch, Rufus headed for the table where his humans had earlier been eating and helped himself to the remains of a four-person dinner from Wai Chang's.

Kim and Ron had saved Mr. Chang's business one Friday night when the gas line to the restaurant ruptured. Kim somehow fixed the crack using superglue and a pair of rubber gloves. The gas odor had made one of the cooks ill, so Ron filled in. Kim helped out when the Hostess tripped and sprained her ankle. Later on, Ron revealed to Rufus that the Hostess was fine but faked her ankle injury when she heard that Kim was planning to assist Ron in the kitchen.

Amongst the leftovers Rufus found portions of Chicken Lo Mein, Sweet and Sour Pork, General Tao's Chicken and Sesame Chicken. Diving headfirst into the feast, he quickly devoured every last morsel. With a sigh of contentment, he rolled over on his back and watched the humans working with the computers.

Rufus missed Ron and Kim very much. They had been gone now for over twenty days. How they were doing no one really knew. The last message received from Kim and Ron said that they were at Valley Forge, had met Zin Possible and that they had a special job to do. Crawling over to the t-v, he turned it on and began channel surfing, looking for the Cooking Channel. There was supposed to be a cheese show marathon on. He kept flipping until he saw the face of the reporter who had first broken the news to the public of Kim and Ron being lost in time. He stopped to watch and listen. Anne took a seat beside him. The light and sound from the t-v had awoken her.

"This is Summer Gayle reporting from the Middleton Space Center. I'm at the site of two major incidents where it is rumored that the foes of Team Possible attacked the Center, hoping to destroy the Time Tunnel device and strand Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable in time. That may not be necessary. This reporter contacted a group of history researchers and they have been scanning historical documents for pictures or references to the members of Team Possible. We located them so far in two time periods here in the United States. A picture of Kim and Ron was discovered from a small North Carolina hamlet that was the site of the Wright Brothers' first powered flight. Apparently they had participated in the rescue of a crew from a burning ship. The other time period had caused the greatest concern."

Summer held up a copy of the "Wanted" poster of Kim and Ron for the viewers to see.

"We've also located this poster in some other historical documents. We have no idea exactly what happened but it _is_ known from local rumors that the bodies of two young outlaws were found hung soon after the date on this poster. Were those two young outlaws Team Possible? Are the two teen heroes actually dead? There have been no updates for several days from the Space Center, leading to the possibility that the rumors may indeed be true. Did Team Possible turn to a life of crime to survive? Were the two teens executed by vigilantes? _Only time will tell_. This reporter is staying with the story and will report any update from the Space Center as soon is it becomes available. This is Summer Gayle reporting."

Anne sat back on the couch, her face buried in her hands. Rufus hopped down to snuggle against the mother of his best friend next to Ron.

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Kim sat beside Ron on the floor of the darkened room. Each time she moved, the chains on her wrists and ankles would clink. The Provost soldiers had roughed them up a little bit but apparently were under orders not to harm them; yet.

They had been in the small room for a least an hour when the door was pulled open.

Two guards entered and hauled them to their feet. They were shoved from the room to face Tarleton and several other soldiers. Tarleton motioned with his hand and the soldiers tied rope through the links of chain connecting their wrists. The rope was passed through iron rings in the rafters above their heads. The ropes were then pulled taunt, raising their arms up over their heads, until they could barely stand flat-footed.

Tarleton walked around them a couple of times as if sizing them up.

"Well, I have a few questions for the two of you. We can do this the _easy_ way or we can do it the _hard_ way. Tell me what I want to know and I'll consider making your deaths very quick and painless. Refuse to tell me and I assure you that your deaths will be extremely slow and painful."

Kim shook the hair out of her eyes.

"We don't know…"

She was cut off as the air was driven from her lungs by Tarleton's fist being driven into her stomach. She gasped for breath as Tarleton stepped back.

"You will _speak_ when _spoken to_."

Tarleton stepped toward Kim. "Now, what do you _know_ about our operations?"

Kim struggled to answer.

"We don't know _anything_. We've only been in Philadelphia for a couple of days."

Tarleton smiled just a little and then turned to Ron. Two quick two punches rocked Ron's head one way and then the other. Tarleton whirled around to face Kim once again.

"Now, that first night when we met, my officers and I discussed a few points of what we were doing. You were right there. What did you report?"

Kim pressed her lips shut.

Tarleton turned to Ron.

"You! What did you learn the day I saw you two on the wagon? You didn't fight the order to take the sailor back to the harbor. Were you getting a ship count? Talking to some of the soldiers and sailors? What did you find out?"

Ron just shook his head. Tarleton sighed, then stepped over to the door and opened it. Squire Lipsky and the Lady Go were standing just outside. Tarleton motioned for them to enter the room.

"I believe you'll want to see this. Corporal, questioning is such a _dirty_ business; quite beneath the work of an officer. Allow my friends to observe you at work. Let me know what you find out."

Tarleton left the room, closed the door and started to climb the stairs. The sounds of thuds and grunts could be heard from within the room.

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Kim rolled over, her body racked in pain. The corporal was indeed good at what he did. Shego would have been proud. He had 'questioned' the two of them quite vigorously with his fists and then a short staff. She was sure he cracked a couple of ribs. One of Ron's eyes was puffed up and he groaned each time he had to move. It was the lash that had been the worst. The corporal had pulled out the flog. They both had evidence across their backs as to the dedication that the corporal had to his art. They were lucky that he decided to leave their clothes on. Otherwise their backs would have been shredded. The Lady Go and Squire Lipsky had stayed the entire time until the corporal decided that they really didn't know anything and had them thrown back into their cell to await the dawn.

The key rattled in the door and a squad of soldiers entered the room. They pulled the two to their feet and tied their hands behind their backs. Prodded with bayonets, they were forced up the stairs, through the building and out into the back yard. There dangling from a tree were two nooses. Below the nooses was a small cart, the tongue of the cart being held down by a number of soldiers. It was clear that all they had to do is lift up on the tongue of the cart and whoever was standing in the cart would be left to swing on the end of the nooses. Kim and Ron halted for a moment but were urged forward by the points of the bayonets behind them.

Tarleton stood to one side, his uniform immaculate. A squad of soldiers stood at attention as four other soldiers took the teens by each arm. Kim twisted out of their grip.

"Don't we get a _trial_?"

Tarleton's stare made Kim swallow a bit. It was a stare devoid of any emotion other than pure distain, as if he was looking at the lowest form of life.

"_Trial_? Whatever makes you think you deserve a _trial_? You were caught behind British lines and known to be supporters of the Rebellion. A search of your room produced nothing but you visited a certain tavern the other day. I'm sure you passed on your information at that time. You also _assaulted_ two of His Majesty's supporters. And you _still_ believe you deserve a trial? I execute spies _without_ a trial. Trials are such a _dreary_ business. Corporal, you may proceed."

Kim and Ron struggled as the soldiers pulled them toward the wagon. It took several soldiers to hold both of them enough to pick them up and put them in the wagon. The four soldiers held them tight as they were forced to stand at the edge of the wagon. The noosed were placed over their heads and tightened around their necks. The ropes to the nooses were tightened enough that there was no slack.

Tarleton stepped in front of the two teens.

"Do you have any last words?"

Ron looked down at Tarleton.

"Don't we get the chance to write back to our families?"

Tarleton smiled back at both of them and signaled to his men. They started to lift on the tongue of the cart very slowly. The ropes started to bite into their necks and it became hard for them to breathe.

"Colonel Tarleton, what is the _meaning_ of this?"

Whirling around, Tarleton found himself facing a number of officers and instantly snapped to attention. The soldiers quickly lowered the tongue lifting Kim and Ron back up. They gasped for breath when the nooses loosened.

"General Howe! Sir! I was just getting ready to execute two spies."

General Howe approached the wagon and looked up at Kim and Ron. The ropes of the nooses were cutting into their necks.

"_Spies_? These two look barely old enough to leave home. I was informed by one of my officers at the tavern of the events. You were going to hang them without a _trial_? Colonel, we spoke of this when you came under my command. Your tactics of the past will _not_ be tolerated. These two will have a fair trial in a proper court. Executing them without a trial would only enflame their countrymen. However, if found guilty in a trial as spies, _then_ they could then be executed without question."

Howe turned to one of his officers.

"Major Rockwaller, take those two down and escort them to my headquarters. We will convene a trial this evening."

The Major motioned for the ropes to be removed. One of the soldiers loosened the nooses and pulled them over Kim and Ron's heads. Then he shoved them off the back of the cart into the mud and snow.

The squad of soldiers dragged Kim and Ron to their feet and pushed them into the street. The teens stumbled along as they were led in the direction of Howe's headquarters. Several people in the street stopped and pointed as they passed. Ron glanced over to Kim. The side of her face had been scratched by the noose, her clothes were muddy from the fall from the wagon and her hair was disheveled and yet to him she _still_ looked wonderful.

"You okay, KP?"

Kim turned her head toward Ron. His neck had been rubbed raw from the noose. Mud covered part of his face and his clothes but he never looked better to her right now.

"I'm okay, Ronnie, but we've _got_ to stop pressing our luck like this."

Silently they trudged up the street surrounded by the soldiers. As they walked along, Ron noticed Mr. Clark standing on the street corner as they passed. He simply nodded at them.

They approached the headquarters' building and were guided around to the back where a jail had been built. Kim and Ron were taken into the building where their hands were untied. They rubbed their wrists to get the circulation back while they were pushed into a cell. Their bruises and ribs still hurt and the streaks on their backs stung with each movement.

Major Rockwaller stepped into the room.

"You will be kept here until your trial. Would you care for anything to eat?"

Kim and Ron looked at each other, looked at the Major and nodded.

"Very well. Sergeant, get them something to eat, and get them something to clean themselves. They need to look proper for their trial. We don't want them stinking up the room. Besides, my daughter Bonita will be visiting me tonight. I'm sure she would enjoy the trial. Ah! Here she is now."

Kim growled and opened her mouth to say something when Ron nearly crushed her hand squeezing it.

"KP, for the first time in your life _don't_ say _anything_."

Kim glared back at Ron but remained quiet.

"Father! I _heard_ you were out here."

A young brunette walked into the room. Kim and Ron's jaws would have hit the floor if they had let them. The girl was the mirror image of Bonnie.

Bonita turned and stared at Kim and Ron.

"Father, so _these_ are the two traitors you mentioned. So _common_, _aren't_ they? _Especially_ the _girl_."

Ron winced as Kim nearly crushed _his_ hand.

Major Rockwaller left with his daughter as the guard brought in two plates and mugs.

"You're the two from the tavern. I ate there the other night. In fact, Miss, you waited on my table. Here. Have something to eat. I'll get you something to clean up before I go off watch."

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Kim and Ron sat with their backs against the wall of their cell. The food had been decent and they were able to get cleaned up a bit. A new group of jailers had come in and were playing cards. Every once in awhile, one or two would glance over at Kim and smile. Their smiles made Kim's skin crawl. They talked for a moment and one picked up his musket and put the bayonet on the end. The group approached the cell and started to open the door.

"Well now, Missy. Let's see if you can entertain me and the lads before your trial."

The first one in carried the musket which he leveled at Ron. Two others grabbed Kim. She spun, driving a kick into one jailer's stomach and sending her fist into the other's face. The one with the musket was looking at her in surprise when Ron caught him with a full kick. The man was slammed face-first into the bars and fell to the floor. Other guards rushed up to the cell. The two teens dove out of the cell into the guards' midst. Full grown British soldiers, they were among the best trained in the world, but they were no match for Kim and Ron. Within seconds the entire guard unit lie moaning and groaning on the floor.

Ron glanced around and picked up a coat that was just about his size. He grabbed a musket and handed Kim a pair of shackles. Kim grinned as she placed them on her wrists, but didn't lock them. Ron unlocked the door and looked outside. No guard could be seen. He had noticed the privy as they were taken to the jail. The stables were close by, so he motioned for Kim to move in that direction.

Suddenly, a soldier emerged from the darkness.

"'ello. What do we have _here_?"

Ron prodded Kim in the butt with the bayonet. A quick yelp and a glare from her guaranteed he would pay for that poke later.

"Prisoner needs to use the loo."

The soldier laughed.

"She need not worry about it. They already have the gallows ready. But have at it."

The soldier passed by, walking on toward another building. Kim quickened her pace and soon they were running through the darkness into the stable. Two horses had been readied for a couple of officers to ride. After Kim decked the soldier in the stable they mounted the horses and rode off. There was a crack of a musket and a bullet whip cracked between them.

Tarleton ran out of the rear of the headquarters building at the sound of the shot.

"What's going on, Corporal?"

The Corporal pointed into the darkness.

"The _prisoners_, sir! They've _escaped_!"

Tarleton glanced around at a number of the men in his command.

"TO HORSE!"

They all ran for the front of the building where their horses were tied up.

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Kim and Ron held onto their mounts as they galloped through the streets of Philadelphia. Staying to the main streets in hopes of finding their way out of town, they had to outrun the news of their escape or they would surely be captured again. Kim tried to remember the correct streets but they had only been in town a couple of days. They did not know what to do except to keep going. Kim turned down one street and spotted sailors milling around. Somehow they had made their way to the port area.

"Let's slow down, Ron. The horses need to rest some and galloping through the streets will attract attention."

Ron nodded as he pulled up on the reins of his horse.

"KP! Look!"

Kim looked in the direction that Ron was pointing. It was the sign of the tavern they had visited earlier. They pulled the horses up behind the tavern and knocked on the door. A sliver of light came out of the door as it cracked open.

"BLOODY HELL! Where did _you_ two come from? Get _in_ here!"

Mr. Clark grabbed them and pulled them into the tavern. Kim slid to the floor inside the door, wrapping her arms around herself, trying to get warm.

"We… we were able to escape. They spotted us, but I don't think they know where we are. We need help getting out of the city. I don't think they'll give us much of a chance if they catch us again."

Mr. Clark nodded.

"_First_ thing we have to do is get rid of those horses."

Clark stepped back into the tavern and soon came running out. He mounted one horse and led the other off into the night. Mr. Clark motioned for them to follow. Outside they found his wagon that they had come into the city in. There were a number of boxes and a pile of manure. Clark pulled up the edge of a tarp that the manure was on.

"Get under here."

Kim and Ron looked at him.

"Uggh! You have _got_ to be kidding."

Clark shook his head and pointed under the tarp.

"This is the only way I'll be able to sneak you out of town. So what will it be? A trip back to the noose, or a trip under a pile of manure?"

Ron raised his hand.

"Do we have a _third_ choice?"

Kim elbowed him and scrunched up her nose.

"I _so_ don't believe I'm _doing_ this. Can anything smell _worse_?"

"Well, _haggis_ is close," observed Ron.

"And you know this _why_?"

"_Believe_ me, KP," he assured her. "You _don't_ want to know."

Clark held up the tarp as the two teens crawled underneath. He passed them a couple of blankets to protect their backs. He then handed them the leather tube that he had the night they were captured.

"Hang onto this. Give it to General Washington when you get back to the camp."

Kim and Ron crawled back under the tarp and pulled down the edges. Clark took a rake and spread the pile around to cover the edges of the tarp. He mounted the wagon and pulled it in front of the stable. Jumping from the wagon, he grabbed a shovel and piled more manure on top of what was already there.

"O-h-h, g-r-o-s-s! Why _more_?" Kim called out.

Clark dropped the shovel and climbed onto the wagon again. Grabbing the reins, he started off up the street.

"I needed to cover you some more to make sure the edges of the tarp weren't seen. Besides, the fresher the manure, the less chance the soldiers will check it closely. Now _be_ _quiet_. I'll tell you when it's safe."

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Kim and Ron had no idea how long they were under there. Clark was stopped a couple of times at checkpoints and one time by a group of mounted soldiers. They recognized Tarleton's voice and tried to remain quiet and still. The wagon continued to rock and bump over the frozen, rutted roads. The tarp kept most of the manure off of them but the liquid part still oozed through.

At last the wagon came to a stop. Clark climbed down and pulled back the edge of the tarp.

"Come on out. We're well out of the city and nearing Valley Forge. We'll stop here. I have to go back. You can walk to Samuel's house and he'll get you up to the camp from there. Their house is just over that ridge. You should be able to reach it in about an hour."

He tossed them a couple of blankets.

"Now get going! Get to the house and back up to the camp and stay there. If you value your lives, _stay in that camp_. Be sure to give that tube to the General. God be with you."

Clark climbed back onto the wagon, turned it around and headed back to town. Kim and Ron pulled the blankets around them and started walking.

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Samuel lay in the snow with Darla cradling him. A trickle of blood ran down his face as she tried to stop the bleeding from his head wound. Tarleton stood over them then turned to face two of his men holding Zin Possible.

"Well, I was hoping to catch two spies but instead caught one of General Washington's aides. Well, sir, what do you have to say?"

Zin growled as he struggled against the troopers holding him.

"What did you do to Kim and Ron?"

Tarleton smiled as he removed his gloves.

"Some of my men gave them the welcome that we would give _all_ spies. I must say that for novices they held up quite well under questioning. We'll catch them again, and when we _do_, they will be hung immediately. But as for _you_, sir, you will be returning to Philadelphia with us. You picked a very bad time to visit friends."

Tarleton turned to some of his men.

"Take everything, burn the barn, and then the home. Leave nothing. Let it be made clear what happens to those who support the rebels."

Zin watched as Tarleton and two of his men marched up to Samuel's home. Tarleton stood in front of the open doorway, took a torch from one of his men and prepared to toss it in the house. Swinging back his arm, he brought it forward and then hesitated for a moment. 'What is that _smell_?' he thought. '_Manure_?'

Zin's nose also picked up the odor. Looking up, to his amazement he saw two figures leap from the roof of Samuel's home and tackle the two troopers. It was Kim and Ron. For a split second Zin had a flashback of the last mission that Pim and Lon had went on with his men. They had jumped from the roof just as Kim and Ron were doing.

The two troopers lay unconscious in the snow. Tarleton whirled around, drawing his pistol to fire but never got the chance. Kim kicked the pistol up out of his hand, where it discharged harmlessly into the air. Drawing his saber, Tarleton slashed at Kim as she back-flipped away.

Tarleton took two more steps and stabbed at Kim again but this time his blow was parried by another saber. He turned in surprise to see Ron standing there, saber in hand. For a second, Tarleton would have sworn that Ron's saber was glowing blue.

"Well, well. So the boy thinks he can fight me. Let's see what you're made of, boy!"

Tarleton slashed back, only to strike air. He quickly parried a blow from Ron that had such force it caused his hand to throb. Kim vaulted over toward the two troopers holding Zin. So focused were they on Tarleton and Ron's sword play, they never saw her coming. Kim's flying kick sent both men staggering backward. Zin spun and threw a punch that laid out one of the soldiers. Turning, he saw Kim throw two kicks and a punch that brought the other soldier slowly to his knees, from which he collapsed forward onto the snow.

Tarleton was frustrated and tiring. The brash youth in front of him had bested him at every blow.

"Well, well. It appears the boy has more to him than appears," Tarleton thought out loud. "I wonder if the girl has been equally entertaining. I'm sure my guards have found out."

Ron's eyes narrowed and he sprang forward, driving Tarleton back with blow after blow. Ron's saber flicked out. Tarleton looked down and found his uniform slashed diagonally across front. Tarleton attacked again and Ron's saber slashed out in answer. Tarleton had to grab for his pants as this time Ron's cut severed his belt. Ron's next slash sent Tarleton's fur shako flying, leaving only a small portion attached to the top of his head.

Furious, Tarleton charged heedlessly into Ron, who easily stepped to one side to dodge the blow from Tarleton's saber.

Before Tarleton was able to turn back around, he felt Ron's saber quickly slash several times this way and that on the Colonel's backside.

"There!" Ron exclaimed. "Let that always be a reminder to you of just who you've been dealing with!"

"What have you _done_, boy?" Tarleton cried out.

"Oh, don't worry, Colonel. You'll find out soon enough."

Tarleton continued fight on, one hand holding up his shredded pants and the other his sword.

Ron's next blow sent Tarleton's saber sailing, where Kim caught it by the handle in midair.

Hearing a crunch in the snow, Kim spun around to find Squire Lipsky and the Lady Go standing there, Lipsky with his pistol raised. Kim hurtled forward in a series of handsprings. There was a crack of the gunshot and a scream. Kim thrust the saber upward, knocking the pistol from the Squire's hand as she sent a kick up between his legs. With a small "Eeep!" he crumpled to the ground.

The Lady Go pulled a knife out from beneath her dress. Kim twirled around and slashed with the saber. The stylish hat and feathers on top of Lady Go's head fell to the ground. Face-to-face with Kim, who had the saber pointing between her eyes, the Lady Go released the knife and it dropped into the snow at her feet.

Kim grinned.

"That'll teach you to bring a _knife_ to a _sword_ fight."

Backing away, Kim glanced over to see Ron standing beside Zin, who was lying in the snow. The sound of horses' hooves indicated Tarleton had decided to beat a hasty retreat.

The Lady Go reached down and pulled a groaning, whining Squire to his feet. Kim stepped up in front of them, raising her saber.

"Get out of here! Tell your descendants to not mess with people who can mess with your ancestors!"

The Lady Go and the Squire stumbled off into the darkness and soon the sound of a carriage was heard fading into the distance. Kim turned to see Ron kneeling over a bleeding Zin. The blood was seeping through his fingers as he held his shoulder..

Zin stood.

"It's nothing. Thankfully, the Squire's aim is poor."

Ron looked up at Kim.

"KP, he knocked me out of the way of the shot."

Kim knelt down to hug Zin.

"HOLD UP THERE, YOUNG LADY! I don't mind hugs from pretty young girls but I prefer that they _not_ smell like they've spent the last several hours lying in _manure_."

Kim and Ron looked at each other. They were covered head-to-foot with splotches of dirt, mud and the leavings of manure. If they smelled like they looked it was no wonder that Zin was holding back. They all laughed as Kim turned to help Darla with Samuel. Ron went around behind the house to pick up the blankets Mr. Clark had given them, along with the leather tube. He handed the tube to Zin.

"Mr. Clark sent this to give to General Washington."

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Later that night, while bathing and nursing his wounds, Tarleton yelled for his aide. The officer opened the door only to have a pair of trousers fly in his face.

"Burn those but first go get the surgeon. I have need of his services. Tell him if he knows whats good for him he'll keep his mouth shut."

The officer held up the trousers to the light of the room. He noticed that someone had managed to trace a pair of initials with a saber on the Colonel's hindquarters: a "K" on the left, and an "R" on the right.

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Kim and Ron sat in front of the fire where Mrs. Scott was cleaning up from breakfast. The two teens had arrived at the house the night before amid quite a bit of chaos, their story spreading through the camp like wildfire. Given a proper bath and some clean clothes, General Washington's personal surgeon inspected them both, tending to what injuries he could. After that, they had been sent to bed to rest.

Breakfast had been good, but they were both so sore it was hard to move. There was a knock at the door and General Washington, accompanied by Colonel Possible, entered the room. Kim and Ron attempted to stand but Washington gestured for them to remain seated.

"Please, don't get up. Colonel Possible has told me all about what you did. I also have received a report from our Mr. Clark. It appears that the two of you have had quite an adventure; one Colonel Possible and I believe is more than enough for two young people. The Colonel and I have been talking and have decided that for your own safety you should leave us now and travel west."

Kim started to say something when Washington raised his hand.

"Please, let me continue. You have done enough service for your country. What you did to Colonel Tarleton has made you a very dangerous enemy. He will be looking for you and we think it is best to get you to safety. The Ohio country would be the place for a couple such as you. So, with my thanks and the thanks of your countrymen, we ask you to go to and live the lives you richly deserve."

Kim and Ron glanced as each other as Ron took Kim's hand.

"General Washington, thank _you_. We accept."  
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Kim and Ron stood outside the home where they had been staying. A sergeant stood nearby with a wagon. He was to take them to a crossroads to meet up with a group of settlers headed for the Ohio country. It would be easier for them to make it traveling with others. They had a small amount of money donated by the officers as well as some packs of food and clothing. Zin Possible stood outside with them as the snow once again began to fall.

Zin looked down at the two teens, struggling to maintain his composure.

Kim finished tying her shawl and turned to him.

"_Now_ can I give you that hug?'

Zin slowly nodded as Kim's arms enveloped him. He slowly put his arms down around her and held her close. In his mind this was his Pim. This is the way it could have been; the way it _should_ have been.

Kim pulled away and glanced over to Ron. Zin turned to Ron and took his hand.

"Now you take care of her. She's one very special girl."

Ron shook Zin's hand, and then took Kim in his arms.

"I _know_ she is, Colonel Possible. I'll be sure to take good care of her."

Zin smiled.

"Please. It would honor me if you would call me "Dad". I feel like you two are my own children. God bless both of you."

Zin gathered them into his arms and hugged for all he was worth. Somewhat reluctantly, he released them and stepped back. Kim looked up at him and then motioned for him to bend down. He leaned over as she raised herself up on her toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you, Daddy."

The two teens climbed into the wagon and rode off across the camp, heading west. Zin stood there until they were out of sight. Raising his hand, he touched the spot where Kim had kissed him.

"Goodbye, Pim," he whispered.

Zin mounted his horse to ride back to the General's Headquarters. One last time, he turned to look back in the direction Kim and Ron had disappeared. A huge grin spread across his face and he galloped toward the headquarters building. He entered General Washington's office to see him holding the tube that Kim and Ron had delivered. Washington opened the end of the tube and pulled out a rolled up parchment. Spreading it out on his desk, the General started to read the first line:

"When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people…."

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Kim and Ron waited in a small grove of trees for the caravan of settlers to pass by. The food that was with them was cold but still good. After eating, they were sitting under the trees when they sensed the now-familiar feel of the Tunnel Effect. Kim held tightly onto Ron as they sped down the kaleidoscope of colors. There was a flash of bright light and they landed on a hard floor. There was a smell of smoke and burnt electrical wires. They looked down and noticed they were seated on a concrete floor. Looking around, they saw the opening of the Time Tunnel.

"KIMMIE-CUB! RONALD!"----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well folks, here it is. They are back. But when?

Thanks for all your support.

Please leave a review. I would appreciate it.


	23. Chapter 23 Voyage Home

**Tunnel Vision  
Chapter 23  
The Voyage Home**

Dr. Possible paced back and forth, staring at the Tunnel.

"Okay, use all our resources to maintain a strong signal. Then get a list of each of the dates on the target list. I want the best expert for that time in history on-call to help with anything Kim and Ron might need."

"Right now, I've got a few of phone calls to make."

Dr. Eng raised his eyebrows. "_Ann_?"

Dr. Possible rubbed the back of his neck, much as Ron did earlier.

"Yeah…right before I call Dr. Director and Wade."

Dr. Possible pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and pressed the speed-dial for his wife.

"Honey, you'll never believe what just happened. Are you sitting down? I think you'd better."

James winced.

"Now, Ann, I just asked you to sit down, okay? I'll…"

He pulled the phone from his ear for a moment and then replaced it.

"Okay, okay. We just had an accident here at the Lab. Yes, Kim and Ron were here when it happen. Are they okay? Well, I _hope_ so."

The phone came away from his ear again. Dr. Eng could hear Ann yelling loud and clear from his place several feet away.

"WHAT DO YOU _MEAN_ YOU 'HOPE SO'?"

James put the phone back to his ear.

"Well, we were running an experiment with the Time Tunnel. There was a short in one of the systems and it caused a power spike. Kim and Ron were standing in front of the Tunnel at the time. The power spike caused the Tunnel to create a gravity well. It was really _amazing_! Professor Burnhart would have been proud. You should have _seen_ it, Ann!"

A sharp yell came over the phone.

James sighed.

"Sorry, dear. I was techno-babbling again. Well, the gravity well pulled Kim and Ron into the Tunnel… Ann? Ann, are you there? Where _are_ they? Well, sweetheart, I guess it's more accurate to say 'when' they are."

James paused for a moment, listening. He started to shuffle his feet.

"I am _not_ stalling or hiding anything," James said, trying hard to come up with the right words. At a complete loss, he confessed. "Okay. I _am_. They're on the Titanic; three days before it sinks."

James heard nothing but silence at the other end of the line.

"Ann? Are you there? _Ann_?"

He listened for a moment and then bowed his head.

"Yes, dear. _Yes_, dear. I'll have the guards at the gate ready to let you in. Now, Ann, let's not get too excited."

The phone came away from his ear again.

" _TOO_ EXCITED? _TOO_ EXCITED? KIM AND RON ARE ON THE _TITANIC_! I HAVE NOT _BEGUN_ TO GET EXCITED. YOU BETTER HAVE SOME ANSWERS WHEN I GET THERE, BUSTER, _OR ELSE_!"

James covered the phone with his hand and then quietly spoke.

"Ann, _calm_ _down_. People here in the lab can _hear_ you."

Ann's answer caused James' face to turn red. He listened for another moment and then snapped his phone shut. Placing the phone up against his forehead, he groaned.

Dr. Eng came up to James and put his hand on his shoulder.

"What did Ann say?"

James rubbed his face as he blushed.

"Oh, she had quite a _lot_ to say. I do know _one_ thing. If and when I get home, I better get the electric blanket out of the closet; because I have a feeling our bedroom is going to be ice cold for quite awhile."

James opened the phone again and dialed another number.

"Betty, this is James Possible. I am at the lab. We have a 'Broken Clock'."

"Ah, don't worry. You won't have to call Kim and Ron. They already know about. They were here. What do I mean 'were here'? Well, they're somewhere _else_ now. Where _are_ they? I think 'when are they' would be more accurate. Oh. When _and_ where? Would you believe on the Titanic?"

"So, you're on your way? Thanks, Betty. Oh, don't worry. After Ann's through with me, you get dibs on what's left."

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James leaned forward in his chair, drumming his fingers on the desktop. The Center's gate guard had just notified him that both his wife and Dr. Director had just arrived and were on their way to the Lab. He knew what was coming. He knew he probably deserved it, and yet he was not looking forward to it. A two-pronged attack by his wife and Dr. Betty Director could things to his heart.

The door to the Lab slid open and Ann and Betty marched in side-by-side. They then headed straight for his office.

Walking over to the door, James opened it and greeted them.

"Hi, dear," he said rather sheepishly.

Ann's razor-sharp gaze informed James that he needed to shut up. Now. Meanwhile, the lines of her jaw told him that she was struggling to hold back her fury. Betty walked in right behind her.

"Hello, Betty."

Dr. Director shut the door behind her. Her single eyed glare was a cold as his wife's.

"Okay, James. I told Ann I would ask the questions. Hopefully I can save both of you some grief."

"Now, _what the Hell happened_? You said "Broken Clock" when you called. That means the Tunnel didn't just _malfunction_; it _meant_ there was a _serious incident_. Then the comment on the condition of Kim and Ron took my breath away. So, as Kim would say, SPILL!"

James motioned for both of them to take a seat. Betty did, but Ann remained standing, her arms crossed, glaring at him. James sighed, sat down on the corner of his desk and began.

"Kim and Ron came in about quarter of four. I had invited them to see the Tunnel. We were scheduled to do a Level Two test at four-forty-five. A Level Two test is where we have the Tunnel on and we throw an inanimate object into it. The time is set for one hour in the future and the place is right back here in the lab."

"We started the test. Kim and Ron stood in front of the Tunnel opening and were going to toss some apples into the opening. As we started the test there was a short circuit in one of the panels, which caused a power spike. That put the Tunnel in a full Level Five state. It also caused a gravity well in the tunnel. It started to pull them in."

"Kimmie-cub tried to use her grapple gun to keep them from going into the tunnel. The grapple embedded in the far wall, but then there was a second power spike. Blue energy bolts shot out of the tunnel, the grapple cable snapped and Kim and Ron were sucked right in."

James stopped for a moment to gather his thoughts.

"Earlier, the two of them had been working on their history projects on one of the Lab computers. The main targeting computer was down, so we had to bring in a spare. Well, it turned out the spare had been the same one they had used. What we didn't know was that the history file was still loaded into memory."

"The file was a series of dates in history. That list somehow got locked into the targeting sequence. The Tunnel appears to have sent them to the first place and time on the list, which happens to be the Titanic."

"Now the Tunnel will fire every few days moving them from place to place. We can only hope they'll survive."

Betty nodded thoughtfully.

"Do you have the list?" she asked.

James turned, picked up a sheet of paper off his desk and handed it to Betty. Ann stepped over beside Betty to read the list.

Betty looked up at James.

"Some of these dates shouldn't be a problem. However, there are a number of them that Kim and Ron will have to struggle to stay alive. Do you have any contact with them?"

James nodded.

"Kim has her Kimmunicator. We were able to maintain a lock on its signal through the Tunnel. We should be able to send text messages to help them."

Ann straightened up and stepped over in front of her husband. James stood there for a moment and waited for the inevitable.

A tear rolled down Ann's cheek as she lifted her hand to touch his face.

"James, I _am_ angry that you allowed the two of them in the Lab for such a test, but you couldn't have foreseen the problem. Let's put everything behind us, okay? We need to get to work to get my baby and Ron back."

She gathered James into her arms and held him tight.

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James paced back and forth in the Lab. Kim and Ron had been gone forty-five minutes. Security forces from the Center and Global Justice had locked down the Center. Experts from all the time periods were being notified. The staff had cleaned up the Lab and the backups for the damaged electrical panels had been installed and powered up. Everyone was setting up to monitor the time stream and the equipment.

Dr. Eng was sitting at the time computer console, making certain the lock on Kim and Ron was secure. James stepped up behind him and glanced at the screen. The event clock clicked over to one hour.

James and Dr. End looked on in amazement as the list of dates rapidly disappeared from the screen and the Tunnel came to life. The lights dimmed down as the Tunnel drew more and more power.

Circuits began to overheat.

Smoke filled the Lab.

Tendrils of blue lightening flashed out of the Tunnel.

There was a small explosion.

Then the lights went out.

All was quiet.

James' heart filled with hope. Glancing over to his office, he saw Ann running out.

Stepping out from behind the console, James dashed toward the opening of the Tunnel.

Two figures emerged out of the smoke and fell to the floor.

The long red hair pulled back into a ponytail and the mop of blonde hair were all James' amazed eyes needed to see.

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"KIMMIE- CUB, RON!!!"

Kim looked around. She could not believe it. They were back in her dad's lab. She turned to see Ron struggling to get to his knees but unable to do so. For some reason she felt really tired and a slightly nauseous. She tried to stand up but collapsed back to the floor.

Looking at one another, Kim and Ron fell into each other's arms for a long, satisfying kiss. They broke the kiss as they rubbed their foreheads. They were home. When they were home they didn't know, but that really didn't matter now.

"Uh-hum!"

The two teens turned to see Mr. Possible standing there. The expression on his face was an interesting one. He seemed embarrassed, angry, and happy; all at the same time. He dropped to his knees beside his daughter and enveloped her in a hug. Kim hissed in pain as he squeezed her bruised ribs and rubbed the cuts and welts across her back.

James took one look at them. They were wearing 1700's style clothing and they had both apparently been in a fight, as they had bruises on their faces and arms. It was then he noticed the red lines seeping through their clothes on their backs.

"Kimmie-cub, are you _okay_? Ron?"

Kim and Ron glanced at each other and then Kim turned to face her dad.

"Daddy, it's great to be back but we need help right now."

Kim leaned over into Ron's arms and the two of them lay back on the floor.

Dr. Possible watched as his daughter and boyfriend held onto each other.

"Call Emergency Services!" he yelled out. "Call a code! We need help here!"

A klaxon sounded and a voice blared over the intercom.

"Code Orange. Code Orange. Lab Thirty-Four. Code Orange. Code Orange. Lab Thirty-Four. Medical emergency. Medical emergency. Medical team to Lab Thirty-Four."

Betty ran to one wall and pulled down a medical kit. Ann ran to her husband's side and stared down at the floor where Kim and Ron lay. Betty stepped up and handed Ann the kit. Ann knelt to the floors with tears in her eyes.. Betty stooped to the side as she spoke into her commwatch.

"This is Dr. Director. We have a Level One incident at the Space Center. I need a full troop of security forces and a full medical unit. They needed to be here five minutes ago."

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Ron felt a softness bushing up next to his face he had not experienced in a long time. Familiar smells came to his nose. Clean sheets, alcohol, disinfectant… and _nacos_?

He started to move and discovered he was lying on his stomach. He tried to move once again when a hand gently touched his shoulder.

"Ron, don't turn over. We're treating your backs. Your parents are here."

Ron opened his eyes to see his parents bent down to his side. They were wearing masks and gowns.

"Ronald. It's good to see you awake. What happened?"

Ron opened his mouth only to find it so dry he was unable to speak. His mother held a straw to his mouth and he took a sip of water.

"Kim?" he asked hoarsely.

Another face appeared. It was Mrs. Possible.

"She's on the other side of you," she said, gesturing with her head.

Ron turned his head to see Kim lying in the bed next to his. She appeared to be asleep. Her eyes were closed, her hair spilled out over her pillow. Her face was bandaged in a couple of places and her back seemed to be draped in a special type sheet.

"Ronald?"

He turned his face back to see his parents sitting so they could face him. Mrs. Possible pulled a chair up to his bed.

"Ron, what _happened_?" asked Mrs. Possible. "James told us what happened --- how you two got sucked into the Tunnel --- and that you were gone nearly an hour. But... but…I want to know who _did_ this to you. You've been hurt before, but this???"

Mrs. Possible pointed to his back and to Kim's.

"This was _torture_, pure and simple."

Ron sighed and started to answer when he heard another voice.

"Ron?"

He turned his head to look at Kim. Her eyes were now open.

"Hey, KP."

Ron reached across as best he could to take Kim's hand as she reached out for his. She tried to get up on her elbows but stopped when she realized she was wearing nothing but a hospital gown and she was about to give her boyfriend quite a show. Blushing a little, she gathered the bed sheet up under her chin.

Mrs. Possible stepped over to her daughter.

"Kimmie, what _happened_?"

Kim looked at her mother.

"Let us get up and we can give you the whole story."

Mrs. Possible thought about it for a few seconds.

"Okay. We can wrap your backs up. It's time for your medicine."

Kim started to protest but was interrupted by her mother's raised hand.

"No argument, young lady. You're getting a painkiller. If you took a good look at your back, you'd understand. Both of you have other injuries that need attention and you're showing signs of exhaustion, too. We can let you sit up for a little while, but you'll have to lay back down on your side or your stomach after that. And _no snuggling_; at least not for a couple of days."

Kim settled back down in her bed with a sigh. There was no arguing with her mother when she was in "doctor mode".

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The two teens sat side by side in wheelchairs that had been pulled up to a table set up in their room. Global Justice had locked down the facility after their return.

Kim and Ron were exhausted. They had just spent the past two hours explaining what had happened to them. Dr. Director, Will Du, Mr. and Mrs. Stoppable and Mr. and Mrs. Possible sat in astonishment as the two teens related their story: starting with their time on the Titanic, to the Civil War, onto the Wright brothers' flight and then to World War II London.

Mrs. Possible's face twitched as Kim related her experience with the Indians. James snapped his pencil in two when the two teens explained their treatment at the hands of the British during the Revolutionary War. The rope burns around their necks added to the evidence that they were lucky to be alive.

Throughout it all, Kim and Ron held hands or just touched each other. The parents exchanged glances as the story unfolded and more and more of their adventure came to light. Wade took the Kimmunicator and downloaded its memory. Everything they experienced had been recorded in the diary that the two kept on the device.

When they had finished the story, Kim laid her head over on Ron's shoulder and yawned. Ron laid his head over on top of her head. The two teens sighed together as they closed their eyes. The parents sat there silently for a few minutes before any of them spoke.

Mr. Possible stood and crossed over to Ron. He held out his hand. Ron took it as James placed his other hand on top of Ron's.

"Ron, I can't thank you enough for what you've done. You took care of my daughter under circumstances that are nothing short of incredible."

Ron grinned.

"Well, Mr. Dr. P. We sorta took care of each other."

Kim sighed as she nuzzled her nose into Ron's shoulder.

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The slight breeze blew Summer Gayle's hairdo to the side. She gave her camera man a wait signal while she fixed her hair. As she did so, a Global Justice Security truck passed by behind her and entered the Middleton Space Center. The Friday evening sun was setting over the mountains to the west as she turned to face the camera. She gave a nod and began to speak into her microphone.

"This is Summer Gayle, reporting from the Middleton Space Center."

"There was an apparent accident at the Space Center this afternoon at approximately five o'clock. The extent or nature of the accident is not known at this time. However, there are rumors that a large gravity field formed over part of the Center. Aircraft in the area at the time reported malfunctions in their navigation equipment and one plane flying near the Center lost altitude to an unknown force at the time of the incident."

"It is known, however, that Team Possible was on site at the time and was instrumental in assisting in the incident. There are further rumors that the two teens were injured during the incident. This newsperson has seen a number of Global Justice medical and security vehicles entering the Space Center. The Center is currently under a security lock down. We hope to get some answers at a news conference to be held later this evening. Middleton News Channel 5 will be on hand to bring that report."

"This is Summer Gayle, reporting."

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Monday morning  
Two weeks later  
Middleton High School

Kim clutched Ron's hand as they entered the high school's main hallway. Ron gave her hand a quick squeeze as they approached their lockers.

Global Justice had kept the teens confined to the Space Center infirmary until the top secret medical procedures were complete. Barkin had visited to pick up their papers on the Monday after their return. Their cover story was they had been slightly injured when they assisted in the "incident" at the Center. All told, they missed about three days of school.

Ron put his arm around Kim as they walked to class. Many students noticed a change in the two. They had been considered to be one of the closest couples in the school, but something had clearly happened between them during the incident at the Center.

"Well, KP, ready to see your grade on your history report?"

Kim smiled at Ron.

"Yeah. After I rewrote mine about the Titanic, and you wrote yours on London during the Blitz, it'll be interesting to see how we made out."

Bonnie walked right up into Kim's face.

"Well, 'K', I see you two are still joined at the hip. I'll have you know I filed a complaint against you for perjury."

"Perjury?" asked Kim, rather baffled.

"Yes, _perjury_," Bonnie repeated. "You _had_ to have copied my report on the Titanic."

"Uh, Bonnie, I think you mean 'plagiarism'," Kim corrected.

"Whatever. There's no _way_ you could write a good report on it. Besides, I had an ancestor there and you didn't. She was rescued at the last minute by two of the ship's company. They were _real_ heroes to my family. Maybe you two should use their example sometime and save someone _without_ any fanfare."

Kim had to bite her lip for a second as Bonnie stomped off. Ron just slid his arm around her waist. They both glanced at each other and giggled.

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Mr. Barkin stared out over the class as he pulled the projects out of his desk. It was so quiet in the room the air could be heard whistling in through the vents. Barkin walked out into the class and laid a sealed folder containing each student's report face down on their desks.

"Okay, people. Leave your folders face down. I'll tell you when to open them. I want to pass them all out _before_ I start hearing screams and complaints. I s-a-i-d, I'll tell you when to turn them over. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by some of the reports and some others were right up to the owner's previous standards."

With that statement he dropped Ron's report on his desk with a smirk. Ron forced a little smile and tried not to sweat too much. Kim glanced over from her seat next to his. Her eyes told him to not worry.

Barkin finished passing out the folders, walked to the front of the class and sat down.

"Okay, people. Open them up and _try_ to keep it down to a dull roar."

Ron's hands shook as he opened his folder. He slid the report out of its envelope and turned it over. On top was a sheet of paper with an "A+" written on it. There was a squeal from Kim when she saw it. She opened her envelope and slid out her report. She had the same thing. Ron flipped up the cover page to find that all the rest of the pages were blank. He stared over at Kim. Hers were the same. There were moans, groans, squeals and numerous other noises as the other students opened their reports.

Barkin stood up.

"Okay, people. Keep it down. Mr. Mankey, I was impressed with your paper on your ancestor from the Civil War. Your report covered that time very well. Miss Rockwaller, your report on the Titanic was acceptable. H-o-w-e-v-e-r, you only covered what it was like onboard as a _First Class_ passenger. Apparently, your ancestor was one of the lucky ones from First Class to survive. However, First Class made up one of the smallest groups on that ship. It would have been better to have given _full_ coverage than merely life as a First Class passenger."

Bonnie dropped her paper back on her desk. The red "B" was plain to see.

"Whatever."

Barkin stepped out into the class until he came up to Kim and Ron.

"Possible. Stoppable. There is a _reason_ your reports are not in your folders. I forwarded them both to the State School Board with a recommendation that they be given special recognition. Your reports were _more_ than excellent. You both covered areas in your reports that brought the events to life. I must say that you had to have done a great deal of research in order to have covered the times in which you wrote."

"Possible, your paper on the Titanic covered the ship from the bottom to the top. It brought to life how _all_ the passengers lived; from the Third Class to the First Class. Your descriptions of the sinking were _vibrant_. I could almost _feel_ the icy cold water."

"Stoppable, your report on the Blitz on London was excellent. You chose to write about a relatively unknown group of people: those who handled the unexploded bombs. Your description of the process of disarming a bomb could have only come from some excellent research. I could almost _hear_ the ticking of the bomb. Both of your reports made me feel as though you were somehow actually _there_ and took part in those times."

Kim and Ron tried to keep straight faces as they looked up at Barkin. A big grin spread across his face as he winked at both of them.

"A friend of mine told me that the two of you had a very interesting TIME doing your research. Let's hope you don't have to go to those lengths again."

Barkin spun around, strode to the front of the class and picked up the class textbook.

"Okay, people. Turn to page two-sixty."

There were groans from the class as the texts came out.

Barkin turned to Kim and Ron.

"Except for Possible and Stoppable. The two of you are excused for the rest of the day. You may check out in the office. Consider this as part of your reward for a job well done."

Kim and Ron quickly gathered their books and bags and headed out the classroom door.

Barkin called after them.

"Be sure to use your time _wisely_. I wouldn't want to have to put out a "Wanted" poster to find you two."

Kim and Ron nodded as they left the room. They had only gone a few steps when what Barkin said hit them. They abruptly stopped and stared at each other.

"You don't think…," they said in unison.

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Greetings all. Kim and Ron are home safe and somewhat sound. Now they will have to deal with what has happened. Stayed tuned as they face the repercussions of their travel through time. I hope that everyone is enjoying this story. It is not over yet. Please leave a review. I would appreciate it.

If you have not seen it. The second chapter to "Team Possible Datastream" has been posted. Click on my author name to go to my list and check it out.


	24. Chapter 24 Middleton Times

**Tunnel Vision Chapter 24  
Middleton times  
By Captainkodak1**

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Ann properly doctored her coffee while Jean Stoppable poured herself a cup. The mothers of the two heroes were sitting at the Possible's kitchen table. Both were relieved that somehow the "normal" lives of their children had brought the two teens home again somewhat the worse for wear. Ann took a sip while Jean sat down across from her.

"So, how's Ron doing?"

Jean pondered the question for a moment as she stirred her coffee and then took a sip.

"He's still having nightmares. One minute he mumbles about being in freezing water, and then he mumbles about the bombing."

Setting down her cup, Ann watched the surface of the coffee jiggle as she twisted the cup in the saucer.

"Kim's about the same. Nightmares. Sometimes one; other times it can happen two or three times a night."

A smile crossed Ann's face.

"But I've also seen something else. Kim doesn't whine or complain when it's her turn to do the dishes. She can do a better job than me and faster, too. She makes a bed better than any orderly or nurse that I know and her laundry is something you've got to see to believe."

Jean giggled.

"That's Ron. It normally took several requests and threats to get Ron to help paint the house. Now he can paint faster and better than I've ever seen. Put him in the garden if you need a hole dug. He mumbles something about "The Lotus Pain", but he can move the dirt. His cooking's improved, too."

The two mothers sat quietly for a few moments. Jean wrapped both hands around her cup as she leaned forward.

"Something _else_ has changed. Before all this happened they were like any lovesick teenagers. Now, I don't know how to describe it. It's like they're…."

Ann face was glowing when she spoke.

"Married?"

Jean snorted into her coffee. It dribbled down her chin as she picked up a napkin.

"Yeah. Something like that. Before, they would have their hands all over each other. Now, it's like just being together's enough. But I've also seen them when they think no one's looking. They're closer than I ever _dreamed_ they'd be."

Ann sat back.

"Yeah. James hasn't seen it, but _I_ sure have. I just hope James' heart can take it when he _does_ realize it. I don't think the kids have told us everything that happened. Why I don't know. Maybe I don't _want_ to know. I'm sure it's nothing bad, mind you, but whatever it is, it's brought them closer."

Jean sighed.

"That's what I have been thinking. I went in Ron's room when he was asleep the other night. After hearing what they went through, I just wanted to be there to help. He had another bad one that night. It must have been when they were in London. He started to scream Kim's name and I went and grabbed him. He gave me a hug that nearly broke my ribs while he whimpered Kim's name. He woke up and just stared at me, then he thanked me and went back to sleep. I wanted to talk to you first, but I think we need to get Wade to contact Dr. Director and see if we can't get Kim and Ron some help."

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Betty stared at the report on her desk, and then raised her eyes at the other people in the room. The Directors of the CIA and the NSA were there along with the Director of Area 51. Betty closed the report.

"Gentlemen, it's decided then."

The Director of the CIA nodded and turned to the Director of Area 51.

"Have your people dismantle the Tunnel and all the equipment. Dr. Possible is to turn over all the data and research."

The Director of Area 51 nodded.

"I'll send Agents Smith and Smith over to the Space Center. Betty, will you be sure to brief Team Possible so they can be there? I think if those two talked to Dr. Possible and his staff it would be better than from Agents Smith and Smith. Those two are good at what they do, but this is something that will take a little tact, and that's not on their skill set list."

Dr. Director smiled and nodded.

"I'm sure that Kim and Ron will be glad to help. However, what are we going to give Dr. Possible and his staff as compensation for taking their Tunnel research?"

The NSA Director pulled a file from his briefcase.

"I think Dr. Possible will be interested in this. It's full and unlimited funding on a rocket engine and spaceship. Since he's interested in Black Holes, this type of research could allow him to build and launch a spaceship that might reach one."

Dr. Director smiled.

"That might make Ron a little nervous, but I think it'll work well for our scenarios. We can draft a press release that there was an accident during the test of a new type of gravity engine. That would explain the effects felt outside of the Space Center. We can also include in the press release some of the same injuries Team Possible sustained during their time travels. However, the full extent of their injuries are to remain top secret."

The NSA Director sat back rubbing his hands together.

"I read the complete reports on what happened to them. As you know, Betty, I spent a few years as a 'guest' of the North Vietnamese at the "Hanoi Hilton". I'm glad that the treatments they were given were able to heal them physically. Speaking from experience, though, frankly, I'm worried about them mentally. Just the last scenario they went through would be enough to push the normal agent over the edge. Yet, what happened to them goes beyond anything that could have ever happened to _any_ agent."

Betty sat back and pulled a folder from her desk drawer.

"I have been thinking about that. I spoke with a number of experts on the matter and this is what they came up with."

Betty handed each director a file.

After a short time to study the file's contents, the CIA Director closed his file and looked up.

"Has this been cleared with their parents?"

Betty nodded.

"Cleared, and, except for James Possible, approved with enthusiasm. He had some reservations about the plan."

The CIA Director snickered.

"Oh, I know how James is about Kim. This had to have _really_ pushed some of his buttons."

Betty agreed with a smile.

"He's okay with Kim being with Ron as they travel the world fighting villains; but setting up a trip just for the two of them drives him crazy. Ann stepped in and made it 'doctor's orders'."

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**Halifax, Nova Scotia  
Fairview Lawn Cemetery**

Kim brushed some lint from her skirt as she walked across the field. Ron held her other hand as the two approached the rows of black granite headstones. The two teens had flown into town at the request of Dr. Director and one of the doctors at Global Justice. At first, they wondered why; but now, walking across the lawn toward the graves, they understood.

As they approached the gravestones, they could read the date of death on all of them was the same: April 15, 1912.

Walking up and down the rows of headstones, Kim and Ron stared at the names engraved on each of them. The memories of that night were still fresh in their minds. Kim shivered as she recalled the moment the lifeboat she was in was lowered into the water. All she could do then was sit and watch Ron standing on the deck next to the officer.

Ron slid his arm around Kim and pulled her closer. A damp rain began to fall as they continued down the line of stones. They stopped on one particular stone:

"John Law Hume"

Kim moved closer to Ron as her thoughts went back to the evening when they had dinner in the First Class Dining Room. Ron was so handsome that night, and for just a few moments they were able to lose themselves in the romantic moment. The Orchestra had come to their table and started to play a very beautiful song. Kim closed her eyes and remembered the violinist standing between the two of them, just smiling. That same man had stayed with the ship and continued to play even as it sank. Kim took the bundle of flowers she was carrying and placed them on ground in front of the stone. She stood and stepped back into Ron's arms. Her arms went around him as she pulled herself tightly to him.

"Ron… all those _people_. We _knew_ and we couldn't _do_ anything. Promise me: no matter what may happen to us, if we can ever stop something like that from happening again, we _will_ stop it."

Ron pulled up her chin so he could look into her eyes. He reached up and brushed a lock of auburn hair from her face.

"I've got your back there, KP."

Kim shook her head as she played with the lapel of his jacket.

"Not my _back_ anymore, Ron. _Hand-in-hand_ and _side-by-side_. If we can't do it _that_ way, we don't do it."

A nervous cough caught their attention. They turned to see an elderly man standing there carrying a bunch of flowers.

"Excuse me, Miss. I beg your pardon for intruding, but I was wondering if you were related to anyone here?"

Kim shook her head.

"No, sir. I guess you can say we're just friends of the family."

The gentleman nodded.

"You're Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable, aren't you?"

Kim and Ron glanced at each other and then back at the man.

"Yes, we are," Kim replied. "We're on sort of a vacation and wanted to visit here. I've always admired the man who played the violin to the end."

The man nodded.

"My name is Hiram Dickson. My granddaddy was the Second Officer Lightoller on the Titanic. He survived, but lost many friends. I try to come here every so often just to leave flowers on the graves in his honor."

Kim had to catch her breath at the thought. The memories of the kindness shown to both of them over those days came back to her. He was the one who put her in a lifeboat. Later she found the he had made sure Ron was in a lifeboat, too. They both owed their lives to him. She knew he passed away peacefully long before they were born.

Hiram bent over and laid his flowers on one of the graves marked unknown. He stood up and wiped his hands on his pants. His lips moved as he spoke a small prayer. Kim and Ron stood quietly to the side. When he finished, Hiram turned to the two teens. He stood staring at them for a moment. Then he coughed.

"It's a pity you weren't there. Two young people as you, who do what you do, I think you could have made a difference. Maybe the two of you could have changed history and saved more people."

Kim bowed her head.

"Maybe we could have, Mr. Dickson. Is there anything Ron and I can do for you or get for you?"

Dickson smiled as he removed his cap.

"Well, Miss Possible, I think you both have done enough already. I thank you for coming. I hope and pray for both of you. Bless you both."

Hiram put his cap back on his head and started to walk slowly back to his car. Kim reached out and touched the stone with the unknown name. It was not Lightoller's grave but at least she could imagine so.

"Thanks, Mr. Lightoller. You showed us a kindness we can never repay."

Kim pressed her fingers to her lips and touched the stone. Turning, she put her arm around Ron and pulled him close to her. Laying her head onto his shoulder, they started back to their car.

Ron kissed the top of her head.

"Feeling better?"

Kim nodded.

"Yeah. I think I see why Dr. Director and the doctor wanted us to come here. Being here with all these people --- some we knew, and maybe some we never met --- I feel better. Now I think we should go to the one place that we both really wanted to go back to."

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**Kitty Hawk, North Carolina**

Ron pulled the car into the drive of the hotel. Kim waited as he got out and came around to open the door for her. Stepping out into the wind, Kim looked up at the hotel.

"Not fancy, but nice enough. Let's check in and get some supper."

Ron opened the hotel front door and they walked into the lobby. A young woman at the reception desk smiled brightly as they approached.

"May I help you?"

Kim nodded.

"Yes. Reservation for Possible. Non-smoking room. Could we get one facing the ocean?"

The girl smiled.

"I think so. There are not many people here now."

She typed on the computer keyboard for a moment. Pulling a magnetic card out of a drawer, she ran it through a reader, placed it in a paper holder and wrote the room number on it.

"Here you go. Room 260. Your room is in the other building. Just go in the door and take the elevator up. Your room has a microwave, a refrigerator, free wireless internet and a balcony. There's a free deluxe continental breakfast here in the lobby in the morning."

Kim took the key.

"Thank you. Come on, Ron. Let's get up to the room and rest up. Then we can go find some supper."

Kim turned back to the receptionist.

"Excuse me. Could you tell us a good place to eat supper; maybe one that has a nice view?"

The girl thought a minute.

"Well, there are a couple of places right up the road from here. Good food, good service and good prices. We even have coupons here at the desk."

Ron picked up a few.

"O-o-o-o! Coupons!"

Kim groaned.

"Well, at least it'll save us a little money. Let's get our stuff up to the room and then go eat. Then, maybe a little snuggle time on the balcony before bed."

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Ron held Kim's hand as they walked across the grassy field. The old shack was renovated as they remembered it. They both stopped and gazed up at the marble monument that stood on the hill before them. Turning around for a moment, they saw the different smaller monuments that marked each of the flights the Wright Brothers made that day. In their minds they could hear the rhythmic beat of the small engine. They could smell the exhaust. The two teens skipped the talk in the reception center. There was little the guide could tell them that they didn't know. It had been over one hundred years and some days since they had stood on the sands with the two brothers.

Ron nodded toward the beach.

"It's a shame the life station's gone. I would have liked to see it again."

They began walking from the starting monument and kept on walking until they reached the last marker. Ron rubbed his arm.

"Just thinking of everything makes my arms hurt from all the hauling back and forth we did with that thing."

Kim giggled.

"Yeah. Come on. I want to go over to the beach. Maybe take in a few of the sights."

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Kim walked down the aisle of a small store near the beach. They had spent the morning at the Wright Brothers Memorial and then had lunch at a local burger joint. Before heading for their next destination, Kim decided to get some gifts for the family. She picked through some pictures of the beach and the area. Turning to another table a picture hanging on the wall caught her eye. She stepped over to look at it and gasped.

"Ron, I think you need to get over here!"

Ron stepped over to her side.

"What's up KP?"

Kim's finger shook as she pointed to the picture.

"So what's up, Kim? It's just an old picture of some folks on the beach. Hey, it's only ten bucks. This would be great for Dad."

Kim grabbed Ron's face in her hands and pulled him around to face her.

"R-O-O-N-N-N! LOOK AT THE PICTURE!"

Ron glanced down at the picture again.

"O-o-o-h-h, b-o-o-y!"

Ron studied the caption at the bottom of the picture.

"Crew of the Kill Devil Hills Station after successful rescue of crew from burning ship. December 15, 1903."

They stared at the picture for a moment, looked back at each other and giggled. Kim punched Ron in the arm.

"You know, you looked like a drowned rat."

Rufus popped out of Ron's pocket.

"Hey!!!"

Kim patted him on the head.

"Sorry, Rufus."

Rufus scurried back into his pocket and closed the flap.

Kim took the picture up to the cashier.

"How much is this?"

The cashier looked it over.

"Well, it's just been a decoration around here for a long time. The picture came from some old archives around here. Are you _sure_ you want this old thing?"

Kim nodded.

"Yes, how about thirty dollars?"

The cashier smiled.

"I think I can let it go at that. Are you _sure_ now?"

Kim gazed at the picture, then back at Ron. He nodded. She turned back to the cashier and nodded.

"_S-o-o-o_ sure."

The cashier took the picture and started to wrap it. She picked it up and took a close look."

"Hey, did you know that two of the people in this picture look just like the two of you?"

Kim glanced at the picture again.

"Well, what do you know? Isn't _that_ a surprise?"

The cashier finished wrapping the picture and gave it to Kim as she handed her the money. Kim took the package and Ron's hand as they headed for the door. They smiled at each other as she clutched the picture close to her.

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**Utah**

Ron took Kim's hand as they walked around the museum for the Golden Spike National Historic Site. They found a few things interesting but it was the countryside they had come for.

"You ready, KP?"

Kim turned from the display to see Ron standing there with the keys to her car. She nodded.

"Yeah, let's get back to the ranch. Mr. Davis said we could take a couple of horses and try to find the site of the Indian camp. Do you think we can find it?"

Ron put his arm around her.

"I don't know, KP, but at least it'll make us feel better than it did when we visited Valley Forge and Philadelphia."

Kim shuddered. They had visited the Valley Forge site with no problems. It was when they were touring Philadelphia and came across the home where Tarleton had taken them. The family in the home was nice and let them look around in the backyard. The two teens had told the owner they had heard that this home had been Tarleton's headquarters. It was bad enough in the backyard when they recalled almost being hung. It was in the basement that they both nearly broke down. The remembrance of all the pain they had endured in that room made them hold onto each other tight. The owners sensed something was wrong and left the two teens alone.

Kim took Ron's hand and led him to the spot under a certain beam. The cast iron hooks they had hung from were still there. Kim took him into her arms and gave him a slow deep kiss. Both of them stood there for a moment just holding each other. They told the owners that they had been trapped in a basement similar to this and it brought back some bad memories. The owners had smiled and lead to two back upstairs. Kim and Ron stayed for dinner. Later, as they departed, the two teens left an autographed picture.

"KP? Kim?"

Kim snapped back to see Ron looking at her.

"Sorry. Zoned out there for awhile."

Ron put his arm through hers.

"No big, KP. The Philadelphia thing got to me, too. Come on. Let's go for a ride."

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Kim and Ron walked their horses for awhile to let them rest.

"Well, we didn't find the site of the old Indian Camp. But we did find this old rail line."

Kim slipped over to take Ron's hand.

"Yeah. This whole trip has made me feel so much better."

Ron slipped his hand out of Kim's grasp and pulled her to him face to face. Kim put her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. The kiss grew longer and deeper with each passing second. The need for oxygen finally forced the two blushing teens apart gasping for breath.

"B-o-o-o-y-a-a-a-h-h-h-h!" they whispered together.

Kim laughed.

"Jinx! You owe me a..."

_K-K-K-A-A-A-B-O-O-O-M-M-M-M_

The air blast knocked them to the ground.

The two rolled over to glance back at the train that had appeared out of nowhere. It was the same train as before when…

The doors to the enclosed train cab flew open and a wild-haired man stuck his head out.

"GREAT SCOTT! KIMBERLY! RONALD! I'm glad I found you. Dr. Director sent me for you. Drakken and Shego have stolen your father's Time Tunnel device and gone back into time. She doesn't know what they plan to do, but you two are the only ones with experience like this. Come on and get in!"

Kim glanced over at Ron and shrugged her shoulders.

"Oh, well. Here we go again."

Ron gave her a quick kiss.

"Oh, well. Time travel: it's a cornucopia of disturbing concepts."

The two teens climbed into the train cab as the door shut behind them. The lights on the train started to flash faster and faster. Soon the vehicle levitated off the tracks and disappeared into the sky.

**THE END???**

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I would like to thank all of you who have supported and enjoyed this story. This has been the largest story I have written both in chapters and in words. I would like to thank my beta Dave for his fantastic help in getting my grammar and punctuation right. This story came from a crazy idea in relation to one of my favorite childhood TV shows. I have really enjoyed putting all of this together for you.

So. Just what am I planning? Is this the end? What about Doc Brown? Well, that's gonna to be something for the "Future".

Please leave a review or final review if you can. I would greatly appreciate it.

Stay tuned.  
This is the Captain  
Over and Out  
Right hand salute.


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